


Sidesteps

by Higuchimon



Category: Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Diversity Writing Challenge, Epic Big Bang, Epic Masterclass Challenge, Gen, Three-Sided Box Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2019-07-06 05:58:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 77,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15879963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higuchimon/pseuds/Higuchimon
Summary: Daisuke offended the Digimon Kaiser’s pride that day on the soccer field.  The Digimon Kaiser’s not going to let that slide.  Only it’s not going to be Bakemon and Deltamon that Daisuke will have to deal with.  It’s something far worse:  the Digimon Kaiser himself, in all of his fury and all of his determination to humiliate Daisuke in return, in the most intense way he can imagine.





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke  
 **Word Count:** 1,798/86,950|| **Chapters:** 1/47  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelines: K6, under 2000 wpc; Three-Sided Box: 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, The Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** This begins in episode 8 of 02. The soccer game took place and then the Chosen vanishing. And now, things change.  
 **Summary:** Daisuke offended the Digimon Kaiser’s pride that day on the soccer field. The Digimon Kaiser’s not going to let that slide. Only it’s not going to be Bakemon and Deltamon that Daisuke will have to deal with. It’s something far worse: the Digimon Kaiser himself, in all of his fury and all of his determination to humiliate Daisuke in return, in the most intense way he can imagine.

* * *

Daisuke slipped and fell, measuring his length in the sand for a few moments before he scrambled to his feet, spat out the dirt, and kept going. V-mon kept up the whole way, as worried as Daisuke himself. Neither one spared a breath for anything other than running. 

Sweat, half from exertion and half from the cold terror that refused to release him, trickled down into the small of his back. His legs ached, his stomach churned relentlessly. But he dared not stop. 

Then they crossed some kind of border and the sand vanished, replaced by an endless stretch of rock. Daisuke pitched to a halt, hands on his knees, gulping down all the air that he could. 

_Where is he?_ His shout echoed back from the rocks moments later. “Kaiser! Where are you?” 

“That eager to see me? I like that.” The voice came from above. Daisuke jerked his head around in as many directions as he could, until the flap of a cape caught his eye. There, on the edge of a cliff far too close, stood the Digimon Kaiser. 

“I don’t want to see _you_!” Daisuke burst out, fists clenched. “I want to see my friends!” 

Kaiser tilted his head as if truly considering the words. “And if I refuse to show them, what will you do?” His lips twisted into that far too familiar smirk. “Yell at me some more?” 

Daisuke shifted, ready to jump on the Kaiser if it would get him his friends back. But he wasn’t close enough and he wasn’t even sure if he could get there anyway. “What do you want?” 

“The entire Digital World at my feet. But all of that in due time.” Kaiser stared down at Daisuke with a deep hunger visible despite the distance between them and the visor he wore. “Let’s start with _you_ at my feet.” 

Daisuke knew he was exhausted from the run here. That had to be why his ears deceived him. “What?” 

Kaiser’s voice could’ve put a glacier to shame. “You. On your knees to me. Now.” 

“No, Daisuke!” V-mon tried to protest but Daisuke already crumbled, his legs trembling, heart racing. “Daisuke!” 

Daisuke didn’t move. If it would help his friends, he’d stay where he was as long as Kaiser wanted. 

“Very good. Look up.” 

Daisuke raised his head and saw Kaiser pointing to the left. When his gaze followed, he saw eight lozenge shaped crystals, and his heart forgot how to beat, his breath stuttering in his lungs. 

Within each of those crystals rested one of his friends or their partners. All of them looked as if they’d been in the middle of running when they were caught, frozen in one position. 

“Guys...” Daisuke whispered, starting to get up. 

He froze at the whip of Kaiser’s voice. “I didn’t tell you that you could get up. Stay on your knees. In fact, bury your face in the dirt.” 

Daisuke didn’t mention there wasn’t any dirt there. He just shoved his face down and waited for what he’d have to do to get them freed. 

“Kaiser...” V-mon snarled. “Let them go!” 

That earned them a nasty laugh. “Not a chance. Now, Digimon, be quiet. Say another word and you’ll be locked up in amber, too.” 

Blood drained from Daisuke’s face. “You heard him, V-mon.” He hated to support Kaiser in any way but he wasn’t losing V-mon. _I need to get them out of those things. But I don’t know how!_

Footsteps echoed, the ring of boots drawing closer. Then Kaiser's gloved hand gripped onto Daisuke’s chin and jerked his head up. This close, Daisuke could see the sick joy in his barely visible eyes. 

“You’ll do anything I say as long as I have them, won’t you?” Kaiser’s smile didn’t get any better up close. 

Daisuke wanted to be defiant. He wanted to resist and fight back and win. He tensed, not much more than a breath, and Kaiser smacked him down without hesitation. 

“Remember, Motomiya Daisuke, your friends are in my hands. There’s nothing you can do about that.” 

“Not now,” Daisuke admitted, not caring how much it pained him to say it. “But...” 

Kaiser hit again, harder this time, sending Daisuke falling. Before he could get up, one firm booted foot resting on Daisuke’s rib cage, grinding downward. 

“No. Make any attempts to let them go and they die.” Kaiser bit off the words with foul delight. “Now, I asked a question. So long as I have them, you’ll do as I instruct, won’t you?” 

Daisuke struggled to catch his breath. Having the Kaiser standing on him didn’t help at all. He gasped out something he hoped made sense, but if it did, Kaiser didn’t like it. He ground his foot harder. 

“I want a nice, clear answer. Now.” 

The idea of hating someone so much hadn’t ever occurred to Daisuke. But the more the Kaiser did, the more he did. He swallowed, not letting himself move. Kaiser would get smack happy if he did. 

“Yes,” he finally managed. Never had that word sounded worse. 

Kaiser made what Daisuke thought was a happy noise. Then his smile twisted yet again. “Say it again, but this time call me Kaiser-sama.” 

The noise Daisuke made absolutely wasn’t happy. “No!” He wouldn’t say it, no matter what Kaiser did. 

Kaiser seized hold of the back of V-mon’s neck and threw him toward the amber prisons. Daisuke tried to lurch forward and grab him, but the hits he’d already taken and the Kaiser’s leg crunching into his stomach, sending him folding over, proved too much. 

He crumpled to his knees, no more breath to do anything that wasn’t watch as V-mon fell next to the amber-imprisoned Hikari. His partner lay there for a few moments, as confused and out of breath as Daisuke himself. 

Then a great golden flash blinded Daisuke and when he could see again, even with just what breath he’d recovered, Daisuke tried to move closer. 

V-mon lay in between Hikari and Iori, as sealed as they were. Silent. Unmoving. 

“As long as I have them, you’ll do as I say. Won’t you, Daisuke?” 

Daisuke swallowed, more of him hurting than he’d ever endured before. “Yes, Kaiser-sama.” Hot tears stung at his eyes. _V-mon..._

“Good boy. You’re learning already. Now let’s go.” Kaiser gestured and Daisuke started to pull himself to his feet, almost expecting Kaiser to demand that he crawl. From the way the other glanced over his shoulder, a haunting little smile on his lips, he wouldn’t have been surprised at all. 

But Kaiser said nothing of the sort, only leading Daisuke around to where an AirDramon waited. Perched on the AirDramon was that little Digimon that followed the Kaiser around. He peered at them as they got closer, and Daisuke essayed a small wave. The little bit he’d seen sort of led him to believe that little guy didn’t like what Kaiser was doing. 

Daisuke couldn’t imagine what else the Kaiser might want from him or even why he was so upset in the first place. Everything had been so normal: at least this new kind of normal, where he crossed over to a different world after school, and put all of his effort into stopping the Kaiser from conquering a different world. 

“Get on.” Kaiser snapped, the order breaking through Daisuke’s thoughts. Daisuke tightened his fists, reminded himself quite thoroughly that he didn’t have a lot of options, and followed the Kaiser onto the AirDramon. 

“What is it that you want from me?” Daisuke asked, hoping for some kind of an answer that made a lot more sense. 

Kaiser smiled. Daisuke wished that he didn’t. 

“I’ll explain everything once we’re at our destination. But I also wouldn’t expect to return to the human world for quite some time if I were you.” 

Fear traced tiny fingers down Daisuke’s spine. “What do you mean?” He needed to get home. He needed to make certain the others got home. Koushirou-san would be watching, of course, and he probably already knew about what happened… 

No. He hadn’t been there. He might be there by now, or soon, but he hadn’t been there when they left. It had just been the five of them. 

His fingers twitched for a second. Sooner or later, he’d get a message, wanting to know where they were and what was going on. 

The AirDramon had already risen up and was coursing through the air somewhere. Daisuke started to reach for his D-Terminal, already thinking about what he was going to tell whoever asked. 

Kaiser cleared his throat. Daisuke jerked up, staring at him, a flush of unexpected guilt staining his cheeks. Kaiser stood there, holding one hand out. 

“Hand over those things.” There wasn’t any hint that he would allow Daisuke to do anything _but_ that. 

“Why?” Daisuke wasn’t going to get in the habit of obeying the Kaiser if he could stop himself. Though the thought of the Chosen and their partners, his partner, lurked in the back of his mind… 

Kaiser’s hand extended a little more. “Because I said so. You won’t need them anymore anyway. You don’t have a partner and you don’t have any more friends.” 

“I have friends! Taichi-sempai -” Daisuke faltered; would Daisuke still consider him a friend with Hikari-chan gone like that and Daisuke not able to save her? And Yamato-san… 

Would any of them still like him when he couldn’t do anything to save them? He’d already lost V-mon. What else was going to go wrong? 

Kaiser still kept that haunting smile. He said nothing else, but the cold reality set itself hard in Daisuke’s thoughts: the Chosen were the Kaiser’s prisoners. If there was _any_ chance of freeing them, then he would have to do what the Kaiser wanted. At least for now. 

Slowly, very reluctantly, Daisuke pulled the D-3 and D-Terminal out of his pocket and extended them toward the Kaiser. Kaiser put them away into some pocket of his own before he reached out to touch the side of Daisuke’s face. Daisuke shuddered, tilting his head back for a brief moment. 

Kaiser’s hand tightened, keeping Daisuke’s head where he wanted it. 

“The more you do what I tell you, the more you’ll enjoy your life with me. Of course, I’m going to enjoy this no matter what. If you don’t do what I tell you to do, you will be punished severely. You’re not going to argue with me about obeying your orders. If you behave enough in the way that I want you to, I may even reward you.” 

He leaned closer, and Daisuke realized his eyes were a shimmering, ice-cold violet. “Be a very good boy and I may even release your friends – eventually. But you are _mine_.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Weekly updates for as long as I can manage them. And I am cackling evilly at my Evil Plans.


	2. Chapter 2

**Word Count:** 3,560/82,250|| **Chapters:** 2/47

* * *

_I have him!_ The Digimon Kaiser didn’t squeal. He wasn’t the squealing type at all. But he could not deny that in the deepest depths of his heart, he _wanted_ to squeal. He wanted to rejoice that one of the more annoying factors of his life to date now would have to do what he said, no matter what. 

He had no idea of how long this would last. A tiny part of him wouldn’t have been surprised at one of two outcomes: the older Chosen found a way into the world and were able to rescue his prize – an outcome he didn’t want at all – or Motomiya himself found a way to escape. 

Though if he did there would be vast consequences. Kaiser had already made that plain. There were to be no escape attempts on penalty of unspecified horrors happening to the prisoners. Kaiser already had plans on what those unspecified horrors would actually be. 

He’d had something like this in mind almost since the end of the game the day before. There would be revenge. Even better, there would be humiliation the likes of which might even satisfy him. 

His first thought had been something along the lines of ‘deceive him with Bakemon and tear his heart apart’. That wasn’t an inherently bad idea and he’d gone to sleep on it, mind filled with thousands of images of Motomiya humiliated and broken. 

But in the night he’d awoken with another idea, even better and more long-lasting. What could be better than a brief humiliation, one that could be forgotten with time? 

This. This would never be forgotten. He would grind it into Motomiya’s soul and shatter him into so many pieces that Motomiya could never recover himself. 

And then he would put the pieces back together on _his_ terms. This would gain him the ultimate victory. 

He’d already started it. Seeing the Chosen sealed in amber, seeing his own partner sealed like that, those carved the first cracks. What was coming would make it even worse. 

Motomiya said nothing at all, just stared at the scenery as they coursed through the air. Kaiser could see the tension running all through him and quite looked forward to ramping it up. He already had a foolproof plan for how to do _that_. 

He’d considered doing this at some point anyway, but the events of yesterday’s game decided on when he would. This would be _ever_ so sweet. He could hardly wait to see Motomiya’s reaction to this. 

But he would have to wait. At least until they were safely in his fortress. 

* * *

“This way.” Kaiser snapped the words out, pushing Motomiya ahead of him. He wouldn’t trust the other to follow, not right now. It would take time to get him into the proper mindset of obedience to his master. 

But Kaiser had time to get him into that mindset. So long as one of those other options didn’t occur – and he planned to make sure they didn’t – then it would happen regardless. 

“Where are we?” Motomiya wanted to know, casting around in reluctant awe. Kaiser found the awe quite proper. This was his fortress, after all. He’d designed it himself. 

“My home. And _your_ home, now.” 

Motomiya jerked his head around. “No way. I’ve got to get back to my family!” 

“Why?” A smile touched briefly on Kaiser’s lips. “So your sister can spend more time ignoring you in favor of whatever cute boy has her attention this week? So your parents can work and barely acknowledge that you exist?” 

He’d done his research after the game. Motomiya Daisuke was a fascinating whirlpool of emotions that he could and would exploit. 

Motomiya’s eyes widened and he whirled all the way around, taking a few quick steps towards Kaiser, fists clenched. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” 

Kaiser smiled even more. He kept a reasonably good eye on what was going on in the Digital World, especially where his enemies were concerned. He didn’t always choose to do anything about it, but he knew. He always knew. Especially as his empire grew and his spires sprouted up in more and more areas. 

“And your friends? The ones who were perfectly willing to break a friendship because you stated the simple fact that you and your sister don’t get along? That you, in fact, don’t even like her that much?” 

Motomiya froze. Kaiser didn’t allow it for long, nudging him to keep on moving. 

“Given what _I_ know, I see no reason that you should like her. And I truly don’t care if you do or not. But there’s no reason to rush back there, is it? Isn’t staying here much more important?” Kaiser’s lips curved a trifle more. “It means you’re keeping your friends safe, doesn’t it?” 

Motomiya jerked back around, his shoulders tense and tight, breath coming in short, angry pants. “Don’t talk about my sister. My family. Or my friends.” 

“I’ll speak of what I wish. Don’t forget the rule: you do as I tell you to do. And I have not told you that you can give me orders, let alone expect me to obey them.” Kaiser rested a hand on Motomiya’s shoulder, tightening it hard. “You obey _me_.” 

He allowed no further discussion on the matter. Motomiya’s reddening face and the words muttered under his breath – mostly involving Kaiser’s attitude and actions – remained too amusing for words. 

“I’ll give you a proper tour later,” he said at last, coming to a halt outside of his command room. “You’ll need to know where certain places are and how to get between them the fastest. But there’s also something else that you need to know first.” 

“I don’t care.” Motomiya insisted. “I just want to know how long you’re going to keep at this.” 

That got a slightly tilted head. “Excuse me?” 

“Pretending that you rule this world. You’re just a kid, just like -” 

Kaiser didn’t allow that to continue. He struck Motomiya hard across the mouth; not enough to knock him down this time, but it stopped those vile words easily enough. 

“I rule the Digital World. There are simply several entities who need to be convinced of this. Apparently you are one of them.” Kaiser’s lips thinned. “And this, I fully intend to enjoy teaching you.” 

Motomiya looked as if he were going to say something else. Kaiser raised his hand again and this time the irritating idiot shut his mouth. 

_Good. He’s capable of learning. That will make things easier._

“I think you’ll want to learn what I have to tell you, Motomiya. It’s something that no one else knows in this world or the other.” Kaiser circled him briefly. He didn’t count Wormmon in that, of course. 

Motomiya spun as well, staring at him. “What are you talking about?” 

“This.” Kaiser lifted one hand and removed his visor. He’d so seldom done that in this world that there were moments he forgot that he could. He kept the lights low here in the fortress, not really needing to see, having memorized his way around so he could focus on whatever plan he had in mind next. 

Motomiya stared at him, blood draining from his features. He shook his head slowly as realization dawned. “No...” 

Kaiser all but purred at the shock. This was everything that he’d hoped for and more. Motomiya barely looked as if he could keep himself on his feet. 

“You can’t be...” 

Kaiser nodded. “Ichijouji Ken. You _will_ continue to address me as Kaiser-sama.” That smirk flicked over his features again. “Or _master_. I recognize either one from you.” 

Motomiya’s eyes dropped down, flickers of confusion and fury briefly visible, then they shot back up, staring at Kaiser. A quick check showed that the wound on his leg seemed to have leaked through the bandage, at least enough to discolor his pants. He would have to deal with that. But at least it provided more back up for his identity. 

“How could you...” Motomiya whispered, shoulders heaving. “How can you be so...” Words failed him and he shook his head over and over. 

Kaiser chuckled before he pushed Motomiya into the control room, settling his visor back on. “You should feel honored. Aside from Wormmon, you’re the only person who knows my secret. And you will _remain_ the only person who knows it.” A low ripple of amusement escaped him. “Who else can you tell, anyway?” 

If he hadn’t been so close to Motomiya and not been paying so much attention to Motomiya’s bubbling rage, he might have missed the fist that came hurtling toward him. But he saw it, seized it in one hand, and bent Motomiya over, jerking his arm up behind his back and shoving his head downward. 

“I’d rather not keep you chained up,” Kaiser spoke calmly, enjoying how Motomiya jerked helplessly in his grip. “But if that’s what it takes to train you, don’t think I won’t do it. You are to _obey me_. That means unless I’ve told you to do something, then within reason, you don’t do it.” 

Motomiya snarled and struggled, despite the fact he couldn’t actually escape. “So I can’t even breathe? Or think?” He clearly believed this was a reasonable question. 

“You may breathe,” Kaiser granted, “and I will instruct you in how I want you to think. Limited walking, as I direct, is allowed, and you’ll eat, drink, and sleep only what I give you and where I give you.” He still didn’t release Motomiya as the other continued to jerk and wriggle. “You do not attack me. You don’t attempt to attack me. If someone else tries to attack me, then you will _defend_ me.” 

Motomiya shook his head, snarling words that weren’t entirely sensible. Kaiser didn’t care. It wasn’t the ‘yes’ he wanted. He tightened his grip a little more. 

“Your friends are in my storage areas now,” Kaiser said. “I can show them to you later. But don’t forget that I _have_ them. And our agreement.” He suspected it would take time before Motomiya really understood what belonging to Kaiser meant. Until then, he would remind him as much as necessary. Be it by the use of his friends or by punishing him. 

Not that he hadn’t already earned a strong punishment for this attempted attack. 

No sooner did Kaiser utter the words but Motomiya stiffened, then slumped, the fight draining out of him. Kaiser held him for another few moments before he stepped back, releasing him. 

“Follow me,” Kaiser ordered. “Your day is just beginning.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Kaiser is a very, very bad boy. And Daisuke is in for a very bad time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Word Count:** 5,215/82,250|| **Chapters:** 3/47

* * *

Daisuke hadn’t ever wanted to hurt someone nearly as much as he wanted to hurt the Kaiser – Ichijouji Ken. He wanted time to wrap his head around that concept, that the boy he’d played against just the day before – could it have just been the day before? It seemed like so long ago already – but that boy who’d been so _kind_ suddenly was the monster doing all of these things. 

The monster who’d kidnapped his friends and their partners and his partner and used that to make Daisuke do what he wanted him to do, whether Daisuke wanted to do it or not. 

His shoulders and back twinged from the way Kaiser threw him around after his aborted attack on him. How had Kaiser even been able to do that? 

He didn’t have any answers. What he did have were orders to walk into this room and with the revived thought of his friends in the front of his mind, he obeyed, entering and looking around. 

There wasn’t much in here. A single chair in front of a lot of wide monitors, each showing different scenes of the Digital World seemed to be about it. If there was anything else, it was too dark for him to see it. He looked at it all, then back to Kaiser. 

“What is this?” He’d guessed where he was, eventually. This was the Kaiser’s base. Not his _home_ , cause that was on Earth, but where he made all of his Evil Plans. 

Kaiser strolled past him to the chair, resting a hand on the back of it. “This is where I work. This is where you’re going to get your orders. And what are you going to do with those orders?” He cast a quick glance over his shoulder to Daisuke. He hadn’t put his visor back on and seeing that cool, serene, _evil_ face of Ichijouji Ken looking at him sent shivers down Daisuke’s spine. 

“Obey them,” he muttered. He knew what he had to say for that. That didn’t in any way mean that he _wanted_ to do any of it. 

Kaiser gestured him over. Daisuke hesitated for a few moments before he made his way over there. Kaiser’s eyebrows bent slightly but he said nothing, at least not yet. 

“The first thing you have to learn is to obey me without question or hesitation.” Kaiser considered for a few brief seconds of his own. “Small questions for clarification or more details are allowed. Hesitation isn’t. My word is your law.” 

Of course it was. Kaiser was like that. Daisuke looked around the room again and this time he thought he saw a door off a little ways. He wondered if he’d find anything interesting going through there. 

Kaiser’s hand cracked against the side of his head and Daisuke jerked back to him at once. 

“You pay attention to me,” Kaiser told him, the words crisp and whip-like. “You _always_ pay attention to me. Is that understood?” 

Again the image of his friends sealed in the amber and probably stashed in an unused storage area flickered through his mind. He clenched his fists together and refused to look at the Kaiser, staring at the wall behind him instead. 

“Yes.” 

Another hit, slightly harder this time. He glared at the Kaiser as hotly as possible. 

“Stop hitting me!” 

“Pay attention to what I tell you and I won’t have to. You promised to do as I told you and you’re not keeping that promise. I would really rather not dispose of your friends. They’re such lovely artwork.” 

Kaiser seized onto Daisuke’s chin and twisted his head around ruthlessly. “You’ve already earned a punishment because you attempted to attack me. Now you’ve earned another one for not listening to me. If you earn one more, I _will_ get rid of one of them. Is that understood?” 

Daisuke didn’t think he could move a step once he heard that. He swallowed, staring into the Kaiser’s eyes, unable to pull himself away for a single breath. He slowly nodded. Kaiser’s eyebrow quirked and he gulped. 

“Understood, Kaiser-sama.” He hated how those words sounded and tasted on his tongue. He wanted to look away, but Kaiser wouldn’t let him move still. 

“Good. Now, as I said, you’ve earned two punishments.” Slowly Kaiser started to circle around him, eyes never leaving him, like twin chips of brittle ice. “And you should always get what you’ve earned.” 

Words choked in Daisuke’s throat. Whatever Kaiser had in mind, it couldn’t be good. It wouldn’t even be close to good. 

Kaiser’s hand brushed by the whip at his side. “I could give you a good flogging,” he mused, eyes skimming up and down Daisuke. “You would scream so much.” 

Daisuke started to shake his head. Kaiser raised one finger. “You don’t have a say in what your punishment is. Only I can decide that. And I _will_ punish you. Personally.” 

Daisuke thought he could handle that, whatever the Kaiser had in mind. At least it wouldn’t involve his friends. _That_ he wouldn’t be able to deal with. 

Kaiser seized him by one shoulder and shoved him toward the door without another word. Daisuke stumbled, wanting to ask and not daring to, not just yet. He ached all over where the Kaiser hit him already and he didn’t think he wanted to get hit more. 

“Walk up the hall,” Kaiser instructed, “and stop at the third door to the left.” 

Daisuke obeyed. He could feel Kaiser’s pleasure at that and it was just as horrid as seeing Kaiser’s smile would have been. 

The third room up the hall wasn’t open. It didn’t open until Kaiser stepped up and pushed it open. He didn’t go in, but gestured Daisuke to do so. Daisuke stared at the room beyond. There wasn’t much to see, really. Darkness everywhere. If there _was_ anything for him to see, then he would need a light bulb to see it. 

“Go in,” Kaiser ordered. “You’ll come out when I say you can. That might be tonight. It might be tomorrow. Or not. That’s your first punishment.” 

To just stay in the dark? Daisuke mentally snickered. That wouldn’t be so bad. He walked past Kaiser. At least he would be away from that striking hand and smirking face. That would be worth anything else. 

Kaiser stood in the doorway once Daisuke was in the room. He gazed quietly at him, lips turned up. 

“You’re not afraid. But believe me, before this is over with, you will be. You’ll beg me to let you out of here. You’ll beg me on your knees just to _talk_ to you, to _touch_ you.” 

Daisuke started to shake his head. How could just sitting in a dark room make him do _that_? Besides, Kaiser would have to feed him, right? That meant there would be light and there would be food. It wasn’t that bad. 

But Kaiser wasn’t done yet. 

“Your second punishment is that until you’re released, you won’t be fed. Water will be provided, but you’ll have to find it. If you don’t find it...” Kaiser shrugged. “That’s your own problem. It will be in there somewhere.” 

Daisuke’s eyes widened. “Kaiser, you -” 

The door closed, sealing him into the darkness. Daisuke blinked, trying to look around. He’d never been in a place so completely dark in his life. He’d expected at least a small bit of light around the door, but no matter how hard he stared, he couldn’t see anything. He stumbled forward, reaching, his hand brushing against what he knew had to be the door. 

There hadn’t been a doorknob, he realized as his hands scrambled against the smooth surface. Kaiser opened it with a touch of his hand, that was all. And his own hands weren’t doing anything. 

He banged on the door a few times… or at least he thought he did. It slowly dawned on him that he couldn’t hear anything. He stepped back from the door and wrapped his arms around himself, trying to figure out what was going on. 

He couldn’t hear anything. He’d heard everything outside, but once he was in here … 

Soundproofed. He couldn’t hear and he couldn’t see. 

Daisuke swallowed and grit his teeth. He wasn’t going to let this get to him. He wouldn’t be in here forever. That wouldn’t be what the Kaiser really wanted, not if he wanted to make him ‘beg’ that much. 

_I’ll go to sleep,_ he decided. He’d already had a hard day at school and then with all of this, he’d earned himself a good nap. Part of him hated the thought of sleeping in the Kaiser’s base, especially with his friends trapped elsewhere, but what else could he do about it? 

He started to move around the room, trying to find anywhere that could be a bed, or at least a soft place to lay down. He stepped very carefully, reaching his hands out, trying to learn what he could about this place. 

What he learned wasn’t much. It was maybe ten paces altogether in any direction. He thought he found where the water would come out, or what felt to his hands like a faucet of some kind. He tried to turn it, but nothing happened. 

_Guess it’s not water time yet._

That brought up a thought by itself. What if ‘water time’ came and he was asleep? He winced; that wasn’t going to be good. 

He settled himself down near the faucet, leaning his head against the wall. 

_I’m going to find a way to save you guys. Whatever I have to do._ Bowing and scraping to the Kaiser wasn’t on his list of good ways to pass the time, but maybe he could at least get them freed somehow. It really didn’t matter if he had to stay here with Kaiser or not. To save them, he’d do that a dozen times over. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Kaiser’s punishment is far more than Daisuke realizes just yet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Word Count:** 6,979/82,250|| **Chapters:** 4/47

* * *

Each of the three screens before Kaiser displayed something different. One of them centered on an amber lozenge containing V-mon. A second flicked between various television portals, the ones that the Chosen preferred to use the most. He’d staked out all of them over the last few days. If the Chosen made any moves into the Digital World, then he would know about it. 

The third one displayed Motomiya, slumped against the wall of the room Kaiser chose to exact his captive’s punishment in. Until now, he’d kept it for occasional use in testing his Rings. It hadn’t taken long to modify it for this new, far more interesting use. 

He could see what Motomiya had in mind. It was simple, as befitting the fool. Motomiya thought he could sleep his punishment away and emerge unscathed. 

He would soon learn that doing so wasn’t possible under the Kaiser’s watch. 

But Kaiser waited for just the right moment to teach _that_ lesson. Waited until he could be certain that Motomiya slept, deeply and soundly. The sort of sleep that would recharge one and bring about sweet dreams. 

_Not this time._

He touched one button on his keyboard. Immediately Motomiya jerked awake, his eyes wide, looking around. While Motomiya couldn’t hear anything in the utterly soundproofed room – Kaiser arranged it so that he couldn’t even hear his own words, let alone anything else – Kaiser could read his lips effectively. He wanted to know what was going on. 

He should have known. Kaiser made it plain, after all. He was to obey Kaiser’s orders implicitly and he’d been given no orders to sleep. He was to be _punished_. 

It was almost a shame to interrupt his sleep. He’d looked so peaceful. But Kaiser refused to let a pretty sight interfere in his training. Motomiya couldn’t be allowed to think he could do as he pleased. That would defeat the entire purpose of avenging the slight to Kaiser’s pride. 

Motomiya settled himself back down after checking for water from the faucet again, clearly dismissing the shock as some sort of fluke or aberration. 

_I really didn’t think he would find the faucet so soon. The longer he disobeys, however, the later it will be until he drinks._

He intended to keep Motomiya there only twenty-four hours, unless the idiot somehow screwed up and infuriated him even more. So far Kaiser found his antics mildly amusing. This would serve as a good lesson, however. He’d told him to obey and he meant it. 

Kaiser waited a little more. Just when he judged Motomiya on the verge of sleep this time, he sent another shock searing through him. Motomiya yelped, leaping to his feet, and looking around again, mouthing what could only be the Kaiser’s title. 

Kaiser sent another shock, this one meant to warn: there would be no sleep. There would be no escaping his well-earned punishment. 

He checked the time, displeased when he saw how late it was getting. He had only a few minutes until dinner time. While he had little worry for how his parents felt – he suspected they had even less for how _he_ felt – they would probably get intrusive if he didn’t at least turn up for the meal. And he did have homework. Which wouldn’t take long for him to complete, either, but it was all part of keeping up the facade. 

Kaiser stared at Motomiya for a few moments. _He won’t have to worry about that while he’s here. I’m sure he would consider that a pleasure, if he thought about it._

The more he considered it, the more a slow thought crept through his mind: why should his prisoner have even a scrap of freedom that he didn’t? 

Why should he stay in the human world when all of his interest and everything that genuinely _mattered_ to him and everything that needed his attention was _here_? 

Kaiser turned another thought over in his mind. Taking proper care of his new acquisition wouldn’t require being there in person – Wormmon could see to the feeding if necessary and he could come here often enough to ensure the training took. But he _wanted_ to be there, to watch as Motomiya crumbled underneath his assault and came to accept his new position in life. That would be a beautiful sight to see, one that he truly didn’t want to miss. 

And truth to tell, there wasn’t anything in the world of humans that he genuinely wanted or needed. The Chosen wouldn’t suspect his identity, not with the one of them who knew about it safely locked up. Though he also couldn’t dismiss the thought that if he vanished shortly after Motomiya did, the Chosen _might_ consider the two events connected. 

But what could they do about it if they did? They couldn’t find his base. They wouldn’t be able to locate Motomiya’s devices. So long as those items were here in his specially shielded fortress, no signals would get out. He would have to hide them before he returned for one last visit – he would want to say farewell, after all, in his own special way – but after that… 

Kaiser made up his mind. He set up a quick program that would ensure Motomiya would be shocked whenever he attempted to sleep, each one being more intense than the last. He wouldn’t be gone very long, but lessons had to be taught thoroughly and well, and the sooner the better. 

* * *

Ichijouji Ken stepped out of his room. To the outward eye, he looked like any other studious boy of his age. Perhaps a bit more elegant and attractive than most – Ken didn’t care about his looks but he had a mirror and a very well functioning brain – but no one would have thought for a heartbeat that in the last few hours he’d kidnapped another boy and now had him locked up in a secret base being shocked to keep him from sleeping, all to avenge a slight to his pride. 

So far as he was concerned, if people judged only by appearances, then they deserved whatever it was that they got for that. 

Ken plastered a smile on his face and strolled down the hallway to the kitchen. Both of his parents were there, talking quietly about something, and his father looked up as he entered. 

“Hello,” his father said, almost as if he didn’t know who Ken was. The worried look in his eyes told a different story. 

Ken didn’t care to read that story, though. He approached closer, that same false smile on his lips. 

“Good afternoon. I’m sorry if I’m late. I was busy studying.” 

His parents nodded, his mother starting to bring out the dinner dishes. 

“Of course. That’s just what I was telling you, dear,” she said, giving his father a careful look. Ken mentally rolled his eyes. They played this same song and dance whenever he stepped out of his room. He would be so very glad to finally put an end to it. 

Meals with the Ichijoujis were tense affairs. His parents talked to each other and tried to talk to them. He brushed them off with vaguely worded sentences concerning his studies and occasional extracurricular activities. They knew nothing of his _real_ hobbies. They would probably be absolutely horrified if they knew. 

There were brief moments when Ken wondered if it should bother him that they wouldn’t support him in his real endeavors. But those moments were so brief that he at times believed they didn’t even happen and he just _thought_ he should be upset by that fact. 

As always, most of his thoughts lingered on the work in the Digital World. It might get somewhat easier once he’d made more progress on teaching Motomiya how to be both obedient and useful. But there were still points that he would need to take care of himself. 

Such as the issue with higher powered Digimon. The _incident_ with Andromon just a few days previously still lingered in the back of his thoughts. His Ring had worked quite well, up to a point. Something would have to be done to ensure that those events didn’t happen again. 

Perhaps his new captive could assist in that, to some degree. He would need more information, for one thing. 

“Ken, dear?” His mother’s worried voice pulled him out of his personal musings. “Did you want some dessert?” 

He glanced down at his plate, realizing he’d already finished everything. He’d hardly tasted any of it. 

“No,” he said. “May I be excused? I have more work to do.” 

He didn’t wait for them to grant permission. They wouldn’t turn him down when he was going to be ‘studying’. He headed back to his room, closing and locking the door behind himself. 

He could hear them whispering again. They weren’t as quiet as they thought they were. He couldn’t hear everything that they said, but he knew they whispered and he could easily guess it was about him. It almost always was, when they whispered. They’d only really started to pay attention to him when he’d started scoring highly on his tests and outperforming everyone physically. If it wasn’t for that, they wouldn’t have cared about anything else that he did. 

Yet another reason to leave. He didn’t need to sit around here and be ignored by people who only noticed him when he did something _they_ wanted. 

Ken paid no more attention to his parents once he knew they whispered about him. Whatever they had in mind, it meant less than nothing. He had too much that he needed to do. 

He cast his gaze briefly around his room. He didn’t need any spare clothes. He only wore his uniform in the Digital World. None of the books were important enough. He wouldn’t miss anything else. 

It took only a few minutes to get the rest of his preparations set up. A message that would remain behind once he’d made his final crossover. Careful reprogramming of the gate between worlds so that it would close after he’d crossed. The Chosen might not realize who he was until it was far too late, but if they showed up here, they might actually be foolish enough to attempt to use his gate to cross to his fortress. Sealing the gate so only his device could use it would ensure that wasn’t possible. 

After all, he had a precious new toy in his fortress. He wasn’t going to let anyone take it away from him. 

There. Everything was taken care of. Time to go. 

* * *

**Notes:** I wonder if anyone has noticed something yet...


	5. Chapter 5

**Words:** 8,759/82,250|| **Chapters:** 5/47

* * *

The door opened. Light flooded in. Daisuke slammed his eyes closed, hating the faint whimper of pain that hissed out of him as he pressed himself against the room’s back wall. He didn’t move, though. He waited for what he knew would be coming. Only one person could be there to open the door. 

“Come here.” 

The Kaiser’s voice. Cold and intimidating and everything that Daisuke wanted nothing to do with. 

He stepped forward anyway, feeling his way along with careful steps. After the last day, he didn’t entirely trust himself to walk without help. Not when it wasn’t just around the small room his feet knew far too well by now. 

At least Kaiser didn’t tell him that he _couldn’t_ use the walls to get out of the room. The more time that passed, the more Daisuke worried about that. What else would Kaiser do but punish him more? 

He’d had little else to think about except the Kaiser and his punishment and his friends while sealed up in that room, and he didn’t want to think about his friends. Mostly because the thought of them all locked up in those amber chunks brought tears to his eyes. 

His fault. Every bit of this was his fault. He couldn’t find a way around it, no matter how hard he tried. They wouldn’t be trapped like that if he’d done things differently. If he’d somehow not cut into the Kaiser during the soccer game. 

How he could have done that when he hadn’t known it was Ichijouji Ken – the Kaiser – Daisuke didn’t have the faintest idea. But now they were all prisoners of one kind or another, and the only chance they stood of being freed was up to him. He could have at least tried to make some sort of deal, that he would surrender in their place. Take him, let them go. 

He wasn’t going to give that idea up entirely. It was a good deal, at least he thought so. But would the Kaiser? Since he was using them to keep Daisuke under control… maybe he wouldn’t want to give that up? 

His hand passed the doorway and he carefully stepped outside. A gloved hand touched his shoulder and he froze at once, fear choking any words that wished to crawl up his throat. 

“You weren’t planning on walking by without saying anything, were you?” 

Even more fear and rage mixed swirled all through him. Daisuke wasn’t even certain of what he wanted to say right now. 

_At least I don’t have to look at him._ It was a small point but one he found himself grateful for. 

“No… Kaiser-sama,” he said at last, dragging the hated words out of himself. 

“Good. Now, I’m certain you’re hungry. And tired. Correct?” 

Of course he was. He hadn’t been _allowed_ to sleep for the last day. Any time he tried, those shocks woke him up, a little harsher each time. He’d finally stopped even trying. What good was it when as soon as he was asleep, he’d be woken up anyway? And they damned well _hurt_. 

And hungry went without saying. Daisuke wasn’t certain how long he’d been in there, but he hadn’t eaten since lunch on the day he’d last come to the Digital World. 

He swallowed a little. He might not see Kaiser as long as his eyes were closed, but he could feel that far too amused gaze on him regardless. 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama,” he said, still hating the way those words tasted on his tongue. Fire and ice and steel and poison all woven into one. 

Kaiser’s hand hadn’t left his shoulder. It tightened just a fraction. “And you won’t be ready to open your eyes for a while yet. Being in the dark so long hurt, didn’t it?” 

Daisuke hated every word that came out of Kaiser’s mouth as much as he hated the words in his own. He started to just nod, but then hesitated. 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama.” Kaiser liked him to talk. Not doing what Kaiser liked would probably end up with even more punishment. If he had to spend even more time in that lightless room, he couldn’t stand it. 

Kaiser’s hand lifted from his shoulder. Daisuke held back another faint whimper. He hadn’t realized how much he’d enjoyed the weight of a hand on his shoulder, a touch he hadn’t experienced since entering that room, until it wasn’t there anymore. 

Then he heard a quiet, amused noise, something that almost sounded reassuring. A few seconds later, Kaiser’s bare hand, glove removed, rested against his cheek, and Daisuke sighed for a few seconds. So warm. So alive. 

“I told you so.” Definite satisfaction in Kaiser’s voice. “Now, follow me. You’re going to eat before you sleep. When you wake up, your eyes should be adjusted to the light again. And I’ll have more lessons for you.” 

Daisuke couldn’t help a faint shudder at the very thought of ‘lessons’. Kaiser’s hand pressed against him a little more. 

“They won’t be like this one,” he reassured. “You won’t be taught like this again unless you do something foolish. But I presume that you know better than to attack me again, or to disobey me, don’t you?” 

Absolute confidence. Absolute _smugness_ in every single word. Daisuke wanted that touch to remain. He wanted _any_ touch to remain. As much as he hated the words… 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama,” he replied. “I know better.” He did. Kaiser wasn’t playing games with him. It wasn’t _right_ , but it was the truth, regardless. 

“Good. Now. You can’t see to follow me and you don’t know the fortress well enough to walk it like I can. So I have something else to help guide you.” 

Daisuke knew for a fact that he didn’t like what he heard. He liked it even less when Kaiser’s other hand came up, and a slim strip of something – leather, he thought – fastened around his neck. He raised up one hand to touch it, his fingers brushing against something long and slender extending from it. 

“A collar? Leash?” He murmured, mostly to himself. Kaiser chuckled. 

“What better way to guide you? Now, come along. You _do_ want dinner.” 

Daisuke’s stomach answered for him, with a fierce growl. As the Kaiser walked away, Daisuke followed the lead of the leash, hurrying so the leash didn’t get too tight. 

It was another of those things that he hated, just like almost everything that happened since the moment Kaiser forced his surrender, but the Kaiser was right: he needed a way to get to places safely and until his eyes readjusted to the light, this was probably the best way. 

He wasn’t sure of how long it took before they stopped. Kaiser said nothing, but the satisfaction all but rolled off of him. The longer Daisuke spent out of there, the more he hated all of this even more. The Kaiser’s satisfaction was one of those things. 

_For them,_ he told himself. _For them._ He would find a way to get them free, even if it meant following Kaiser’s orders. Either Kaiser would release them or he would find a way to save them himself. 

Or maybe, just maybe, the older Chosen could help. They’d left the gate open when they’d crossed over. So unless something happened to close it, couldn’t their friends come after him? 

Even if they could, he knew he wouldn’t know about it until they got there. He didn’t have any way to find out what they were doing and if the Kaiser did, Daisuke doubted he’d be told. 

Kaiser’s hand touched his cheek again. Daisuke shivered, head leaning into it without thought. 

“Come this way.” Kaiser ordered, taking a few more steps. Daisuke obeyed, his stomach singing softly again. His foot bumped into something and he automatically started to open his eyes, before Kaiser’s fingers pressed against him. “Don’t do that.” 

“What is it?” Daisuke risked asking. It felt soft, whatever it was. 

“Your cushion. Kneel on it.” 

Daisuke could not help but be proud that his first reaction was to gape in the direction he knew Kaiser stood. He’d sort of expected a chair and a table. He’d always eaten in a chair before, unless they were on a picnic or he’d decided to be lazy on the couch. He’d never eaten kneeling on a cushion. 

Kaiser’s grip on his leash tightened. “Obedience,” he said, and Daisuke’s knees crumbled underneath him. 

Hours and hours in absolute darkness, with so very little he could touch and nothing he could see or hear. Alone in ways he’d never thought he’d be alone in. 

No way for his friends to find him even if they’d been able to search in the first place. Only the Kaiser knew where he was, and he’d been put in here because of what he’d done. 

Always before, what he’d done had ended up working out all right. Somehow. Even when he first entered this world and didn’t know what he was doing in the first place, it worked out for the best. 

For those few short weeks it had, anyway. Until now, when the Kaiser’s rage grew out of control and Daisuke’s actions started to have consequences he’d never imagined possible. 

The cushion was soft on his knees. He kept his eyes closed and he wasn’t sure if that was because of how much it would hurt if he opened them or because of the fact he didn’t want to see what he was doing. 

Kaiser’s hand moved up to his hair, touching it lightly, before moving away altogether. Daisuke’s fingers tightened closer to fists as he dug them into the cushion, telling himself it was for balance. His stomach demanded food again and if he wasn’t as off-balance as he was in every kind of way, he would have asked where the food was. 

He didn’t want to take the chance on getting denied dinner, though. That was the kind of thing Kaiser would do: and had already done, in fact. 

“Here. Open your mouth.” Kaiser ordered. Surprised, Daisuke did so, and was even more surprised to taste something unfamiliar but savory on his tongue. 

_He’s feeding me._ That definitely came under events he hadn’t expected. Dinner, yes. Being fed from the Kaiser’s hands, not even close. 

“I don’t have to tell you to chew and swallow, do I?” Kaiser asked, a lilt to his voice that Daisuke thought meant he was teasing. 

Did the Kaiser know how to tease? Would he tease _him_? 

He didn’t know. Wasn’t interested in finding out, either. All he did was accept the piece of meat, chew, and swallow, then wait for some more. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I would gush about how much I enjoyed writing this chapter, but if you know anything about me, you know that already. Now, a point or two: there won’t be any shipping in this. Not even Kaiser x Daisuke. Kaiser has other goals for Daisuke. Not ruling out potential sequels but those are unplanned and undecided on if they will even exist right now. Also, though I may upgrade the rating to a T/PG-13 at a future date, it will not go beyond that. Putting it bluntly: no sex involved in this at all. See you next week!


	6. Chapter 6

**Words:** 10,535/82,250|| **Chapters:** 6/47

* * *

Kaiser could tell that Daisuke kept his eyes open only by fighting hard to do so. Without the constant reminders to stay awake, his eyelids slid together more and more often. The inclusion of a hot meal didn’t discourage sleep either. 

He made certain Daisuke ate enough, nudging infrequently to stir him back to wakefulness, before snapping his fingers next to Daisuke’s ear. 

“Huh? What?” Daisuke stared at him, eyes wide and clear of sleepiness for a few moments. 

“This way.” Kaiser rose up and started out of the room. Daisuke’s eyes already slammed back together; the dining room had been rather low on the lights, for Daisuke’s sake, but the corridors remained brightly lit. 

Kaiser could have extinguished those lights as well, and still led Daisuke by his pretty new leash, but he liked seeing Daisuke trail along behind him, unable to do anything but trust him absolutely and obey him absolutely. 

Now, once again with the leash held firmly in one hand, Kaiser led him through the corridors until they reached his own room. 

The moment they stepped inside, Daisuke peeked for a few seconds before he shut his eyes even more firmly. “You don’t want me to sleep on _your_ bed, do you?” 

“Of course not.” Kaiser sniffed as he led Daisuke to a door on one side. Said door and where it led hadn’t existed until he’d spent time earlier rearranging the programming of his base. The other side of the room did have a small opening and a small nook there, but that was where Wormmon slept, and it wasn’t anywhere large enough for Daisuke. 

He paused, then took Daisuke’s hand and reached it out for the door. “You’ll see it when your eyes are adjusted again, but I have a room here for you.” When Daisuke’s fingers gripped the knob, he had him open the door. “Take five steps forward. You’ll be beside your new bed.” 

Daisuke took those five steps, tension in every line of his body, carefully reaching out with his other hand, until he brushed against the bed. 

“I want you to go to sleep now,” Kaiser ordered. “You won’t come out until I tell you that you can, in the morning.” 

Kaiser wasn’t surprised to see the full body shudder that shook Daisuke. He rested a hand on the other’s shoulder. 

“You’re allowed to sleep,” he assured him. “You’re not being punished now. As long as you obey me, you’ll be allowed sleep and regular food. And you will obey me.” 

He could be kind, when he chose to be. When someone had earned it. He watched Daisuke’s every moment, quite pleased to see the tension beginning to ebb away. 

It would take time and effort, but he’d already made good strides towards Daisuke truly belonging to him. Some of Daisuke’s obedience remained the aftereffects of his time spent without sight or sound or touch, unable to rest or eat. But that would be the foundation that he built all the rest on: everything good in Daisuke’s life came from him now, and only when Daisuke earned it. 

Slowly, Daisuke slipped down onto the bed, pulling the blankets close. Kaiser had gone out of his way to make certain the bed was as soft and comfortable as possible, with warm blankets and cloud-like pillows. Personally he considered such luxury ridiculous for Daisuke but it would be another point toward accomplishing his goals. 

He unhooked the leash and hung it beside the door; he might not _need_ it once Daisuke’s eyes were adjusted to the light again, but he looked forward to using it anyway. 

Daisuke did look so nice on it, after all. 

He closed the door, not surprised to hear Daisuke shifting around at once, and pressed one hand on the control panel next to the door. He’d installed several fun features there, and now he activated one: a pale light that wouldn’t interfere with sleeping but would ensure Daisuke could see in there. 

_A night light. He’ll outgrow that._ Kaiser waited for a few moments until Daisuke quieted down again, then headed back for his control room. 

Wormmon sat before the monitors, as he’d been instructed. Normally Kaiser didn’t expect much of anything, though he’d ordered Wormmon to watch the monitors as long as possible every night that he’d gone home. It helped to have a second pair of eyes, even ones as useless as Wormmon, to watch through the night. He’d found a few useful Digimon that way. 

Now he seated himself, Wormmon scuttling out of the way. 

“Did you see anything?” 

“Yes, Ke -” Wormmon flinched at the look shot towards him. “Kaiser. It was on monitor two, about an hour ago.” 

Kaiser’s hands danced over the keys, bringing it back up. A quick glance at the time told him what to expect and when he saw what the monitors recorded, he couldn’t find himself surprised at all. 

_I’ll need to deal with them._ What would it take to get rid of all of the Chosen forever? The only one he wanted to keep was Daisuke and that was more because he’d been the one who struck him that day. 

One hand slid down to his ankle for a few moments. It wasn’t a bad wound and he suspected it would heal up entirely in a few days. Little more than a rough scrape, in all honesty. 

Some might say that was hardly enough to merit what he had in mind for Motomiya Daisuke, but Kaiser operated by his own rules. His pride had been slighted. This would never happen again, no matter what he had to do to ensure that. 

Now, the next stage: dealing with these Chosen trying to sneak into his territory. They wanted to find Daisuke; under a minute of listening to them revealed that. It would also not happen. Motomiya Daisuke wouldn’t lay eyes on anyone who wasn’t Kaiser for a great deal of time to come. Nor would anyone else lay eyes on him. 

He listened longer, more curious to uncover their plans than anything else. 

“Do you think there are other Digimentals?” 

Kaiser almost wished that he’d bothered learning any of their names. It would help in telling them apart. In point of fact, learning their names, histories, and partners could be very useful. 

A small idea began to flicker in the back of his thoughts. It hadn’t yet blossomed into a full blown scheme but it would. Kaiser could feel it. 

“I don’t see why not. The question is where they are and who will get them.” 

Much as it painted him to even consider this, Kaiser had to admit that the redhead had a point. There could be an unknown number of Digimentals, which meant _more_ evolution that he couldn’t stop. 

_That raises another point. Now that I have him here, I’ll see what I can do about putting a stop to Armor Evolution._ He hadn’t yet figured out how they managed to get around his blocks, but now that he had a Digimental here to work with, he could make some progress. 

He made a mental note to that effect before turning his attention back to the conversation before him. What he needed to do ticked off quietly. Discover how many Digimentals there were and who the most likely recipients of them would be, then ensure that he claimed each one of them before they could. 

His gaze shifted momentarily to Wormmon. He remained uncertain of just how a Digimental worked or if he could achieve the power of one for himself, but would it be possible to affect Wormmon so he could Armor Evolve? 

_No. Even if he could, what would he become? A useless bug with even more useless armor?_ Kaiser dismissed that particular idea with a contemptuous flick of his head. 

Learning more about the Digimentals would be far more profitable and useful. The last thing he wanted was any of his enemies gaining more power. They already had far too much, even without Daisuke. 

_The three they already found are connected to those Crests._ He’d heard about them when he’d begun building his empire, but they hadn’t meant a great deal. What information he’d been able to uncover indicated their power faded away and those who used it wouldn’t come to the Digital World any more. 

He stared thoughtfully at the images available on the screens before sending his fingers flying once again. He would have to do _much_ more research to gain all that he needed, and his fastest source not only slept, but would likely enough resist his questioning. Motomiya Daisuke would require far more training than a single night of punishment to confess all of his secrets. 

But Kaiser knew he’d see to that in time. Until then, he would put everything he had in other methods. 

_I should work on the Evil Rings as well._ He’d not forgotten the issue that had occurred with Andromon. Andromon had actually been able to _remove_ the Ring for himself. It had required effort, but it happened nevertheless. 

Like so much else, it would never happen again. Kaiser refused to let mistakes happen more than once. He never wanted them to happen at all – he _was_ perfect, after all – but if his opponents somehow got a meaningful victory, he would not allow it to last. He’d already done his best to recapture as many of the freed Digimon as he could, moving them to different locations to ensure the Chosen wouldn’t know. 

Information. He set the monitors to watch the Chosen wherever they were in the Digital World – he would have watched them in the human world if he could but that remained out of his power. 

Kaiser’s fingers stopped and he lifted his head, thinking. _I know that, but..._ A low smile slid over his features. It would take a little time to work up but he thought that he could accomplish it. 

A quick glance to another monitor showed Daisuke, still absolutely asleep. Kaiser thought that he hadn’t moved a muscle since the door closed. He wouldn’t have been surprised. 

Another thought murmured, still vague and unformed, but a consideration at least. He could at least frame it as a question to himself, once that he decided he wanted to know the answer to. 

_What if I can train him while he sleeps?_ He’d heard of subliminal influence on minds before. He would have to check into it. 

There was so much that he needed to work on. At least now that he lived here, he could focus on what was genuinely important: winning his war. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Just imagine me cackling evilly. Because I am.


	7. Chapter 7

**Words:** 12,329/82,250|| **Chapters:** 7/47

* * *

The first thing Daisuke saw when he opened his eyes was the ceiling overhead. He wanted to think for the first few moments that everything had been some kind of disastrous nightmare and now he would get up, have breakfast, go to school, go to the Digital World, and kick Kaiser around extra hard. 

He wanted to think that, but he recognized almost at once that the ceiling above him was cold steel and not the painted wood that he was used to. He could feel the walls around him, too, unlike his room at home. He didn’t have the biggest room, but if he stretched his arms out there, he _didn’t_ touch the walls. 

Stretching his arms out there meant that he did just that. 

Another fact wriggled into his mind: the bed underneath him was far too soft and comfortable to be his bed at home. That bed was good enough, but this one he could almost sink into. It was exactly the kind of thing he would imagine the Kaiser having for himself. 

Which didn’t quite explain why it was here underneath him, but if he’d picked up one thing since the first day of school that year, it was that the Kaiser very seldom made ordinary sense. 

He stretched again, this time to get the kinks out, and winced when another memory bestirred itself. Raising his hand, he touched the collar around his neck, flinching at the feel of it. It _felt_ like soft leather; if he’d decided to wear it because he wanted to for some reason, it would have been fine. But wearing this because the Kaiser wanted him to? No. Not happening at all. 

Growling under his breath, recalling that the Kaiser’s own bedroom was right outside the door and not wanting to wake the monster up, Daisuke ran his hands over the collar, trying to find the buckle on it. There had to be one. He hadn’t noticed one when Kaiser put it on him, but he’d been far too busy being steeped in hating himself for what was going on, and the nightmarish experience of that room, to notice much of anything. 

Just thinking about that room made him shudder all over, hands dropping from the collar to dig into the bed beneath him, biting his lip to keep the screams from his lips. 

_He wouldn’t be heard; he couldn’t even hear himself. He could feel the weight of his body and the walls around him, but it wasn’t the same, it wasn’t someone else there, he was alone, alone, alone, alone..._

Daisuke slammed a fist into the nearest wall, snarling. “I’m not there anymore!” He growled to himself. “I’m not!” 

The door slid open. Daisuke jerked his head up to see Kaiser standing there, as perfect and flawless as he was every other time they’d encountered each other. The smile on his lips was full of mockery. 

“Good morning.” 

Seeing Kaiser standing there slammed it home to Daisuke how far from home he was, how much his life now depended on the Kaiser’s pleasure, and how little control over anything he had now. He started to turn away, when Kaiser’s hand caught him by the chin. 

“I don’t have to teach you how to be polite to me, do I?” Kaiser asked, one dark blue eyebrow lifting. 

Daisuke didn’t want to think of this maniac as Ichijouji Ken. Even after seeing the other’s face, he tried to separate them in his mind. Ken wasn’t that bad of a person. Maybe a little arrogant. The Kaiser, on the other hand, did all of this to him, and would gleefully do more. 

But now Kaiser lifted his head up more, their eyes meeting even through the Kaiser’s visor, and Daisuke dropped his gaze first. Those eyes burned with smoldering fury that put him in mind of that room. 

“Good morning, Kaiser-sama,” he murmured. Kaiser’s hand slipped from his chin to brush through his hair. 

“I think when I come to get you in the morning, you should say that while you’re on your knees,” Kaiser mused. “In fact, unless I tell you otherwise, you are to kneel in my presence. I own you. It’s only right that you respect your master, isn’t it?” 

Daisuke’s head started to jerk up faster, a protest on his lips that died the moment he saw the hideous grin on Kaiser’s. 

Kaiser wanted a fight. Kaiser wanted a reason to punish him and hurt him and make him scream all over again. 

So Daisuke chose not to. At least not in the way that Kaiser wanted him to. It wasn’t a way of fighting that he liked, or one that came close to being natural for him, but he pressed his lips together and slid down to his hands and knees, staring at the floor. 

“As you wish, Kaiser-sama.” He wasn’t sure if the honorific tasted better or worse the more times that he used it and he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know. 

Kaiser’s hand rested on the back of his neck for a few seconds. He’d removed his glove and the hand was just as warm as it had been when Daisuke stepped out of the punishment room. He shivered at the touch and at the feel of those fingers. 

Then Kaiser attached the leash to the collar and tugged on it. 

“It’s time for breakfast. You may walk after me,” Kaiser told him. Daisuke shuddered as he started to get to his feet, then stopped, something occurring to him. “Speak.” 

Daisuke hated how Kaiser treated him like a pet that needed to be trained. He hated how he could tell he was _being_ trained, like it or not. 

“I don’t need to be led. I can see now. Kaiser-sama.” 

Kaiser started to walk out of the tiny room. “I know. But I think you look very good either on your knees or on my leash. So that’s how you’re going to stay, until I choose otherwise.” 

Daisuke hurried after him. Hoping his questioning privileges hadn’t been revoked, he asked something else. 

“Why can’t I get this collar off? Doesn’t it have a buckle?” 

That got a laugh. It was one of those laughs that Daisuke knew he didn’t like. 

“Because I don’t _want_ you to take it off. I designed it so only I can remove it.” He stopped and turned toward Daisuke, reaching out to rest a finger on the collar. “It has my symbol on it, so anyone who sees it knows that you are mine. I’ve had it made for you for almost a month now.” 

Daisuke didn’t have the best internal calendar, but he clicked to this regardless. He couldn’t peg the exact date but just from that… 

Something must have shown on his face, because Kaiser started to laugh. “Yes. I made it for you after your first day in the Digital World. My _original_ plan after I Ringed V-mon was to collar _you_ and train you to be useful.” His hand closed on Daisuke’s throat, eyes boring into Daisuke’s own, not letting him turn away. “It’s taken me longer than I thought but you are going to be very useful to me.” 

Daisuke’s heart beat faster as Kaiser stared at him for what seemed to be forever. Finally he dropped his hand, took a better hold on the leash, and started to walk again. Daisuke hurried after, hoping he had some sort of free time to process all of this. To think the Kaiser’s plans reached that long… 

He couldn’t hold back a shudder and Kaiser’s smirk made it plain what he thought of that. 

At least he could put it aside when they arrived in the dining area. He didn’t remember much of it from the night before, mostly because he’d had his eyes closed most of the time, but now he saw an elegant table, a plushly cushioned chair, and a cushion set before the chair. 

His eyes fell on the cushion at once. Like the bed, it looked far too soft, and it was covered in blue silk, just like Kaiser’s uniform and cape. The same symbol was stitched onto it as well. Clearly this belonged to Kaiser. 

“Kneel.” Kaiser ordered, indicating the cushion. Daisuke vividly recalled doing it the night before, hardly even hesitating. He’d been so tired, drained of any real energy to fight back. Now was different. Now he could… 

Kaiser tugged the leash and Daisuke stumbled forward, slipping, and crashed to his knees on the cushion. His first instinct was to get back up, but Kaiser’s hand on his shoulder told him otherwise. 

“When you eat, I’ll feed you, and you’ll eat like this. On your knees to me. You won’t eat any other way. You understand that.” 

Daisuke’s screams of rage hovered unspoken behind his lips. He jerked his head in something that was sort of a nod. Kaiser tapped him on the cheek. 

“I want to hear you speak.” 

_I could tell you how much of a jackass you are,_ Daisuke thought, before his mouth opened. 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama,” he heard himself say. He bit his lip and stared down at the cushion. Wasn’t _anything_ going to go his way at all? 

A quick peek upwards told him that Kaiser ate his own breakfast before he offered Daisuke a bite. Daisuke had to stay there, kneeling, hungry, waiting for his turn. 

At least he could figure out what this was. He’d smelled rice and fish and fruit many times before at breakfast. His family wasn’t always traditional but his mom enjoyed making familiar breakfasts from when she’d been a kid. 

_I don’t think I really want to ask what I had last night._ Kaiser would probably tell him and it would unsettle his stomach. 

Kaiser caught his attention. “Time for your breakfast,” he said, bringing over rice. Daisuke opened his mouth at once, taking it in. It wasn’t as good as his mom’s, but it was pretty good. He wasn’t going to turn it down. 

Bit by bit Kaiser fed him, pieces of fish, a good serving of rice, and then bits of a banana, washed down by a cup of delicious tea. Kaiser seemed to judge how much he needed to within a hair. 

With breakfast taken care of, Kaiser guided him next to what Daisuke thought of as the control room, when he didn’t think of it as the throne room. Another cushion provided him with a place to kneel and Kaiser stared down at him. 

“This is how you will start to be useful to me. You will answer my questions, and these are the first ones: tell me of all of the Chosen and which Crests they wield.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** So, just an average morning with Kaiser and his new … toy? Pet? 

Also, since 02 started on the first day of the school year (April in Japan) and Golden Week (which is the last week of April/first of May) happened during the week Mimi visited the gang, then the soccer game/revelation of Ken as Kaiser would have been loosely a month after that. Seems like longer, doesn’t it?


	8. Chapter 8

**Words:** 14,177/82,250|| **Chapters:** 8/50

* * *

Kaiser thoroughly enjoyed the way that Daisuke stared back at him, large brown eyes wide and confused and still with hints of fear tugging at the edges. His captive had no idea of what he wanted. 

He would. He would learn. 

“Tell me.” Kaiser tilted his head, indicating for Daisuke to look at the monitors. Two of them revealed two of the elder male Chosen, the brunet and the blond. “I want their names, their Crests, all that you know about them.” 

Daisuke started to shake his head. Kaiser’s eyes narrowed and he brought his hand down on Daisuke’s shoulder, tight and pinching. 

“I don’t think that you want to go back there so soon, do you?” He would not put up with any insubordination. 

Daisuke shook his head, the fear flickering higher at that. “No!” It was a bit difficult to tell if he were answering Kaiser’s question or if he wanted to deny telling him anything. 

“Then answer me. Leave out nothing.” Kaiser had no intentions of letting him get away with being silent. He needed this information and Daisuke could – and would – provide it. 

Daisuke started to shake his head again and this time Kaiser’s grip grew stronger, to the point Daisuke hissed in pain between his teeth. 

He’d already suspected something like this would happen. Daisuke was too stubborn to just start spilling everything. He’d not _wanted_ it to happen; surely Daisuke would show a little good sense. 

But apparently not. 

Kaiser had contingency plans for this. With his free hand he tapped at a control and his third monitor fuzzed before it resolved to show one of his storage areas. 

“Is this what you want?” Kaiser asked, his voice pitched low and furious. 

Daisuke stared at the image on the screen, paling first, then turning red. 

“Hikari-chan,” he muttered before he twisted his gaze back to Kaiser. “Leave her be! Let them go!” 

“I believe I’ve already answered that. Now, pay attention.” 

Kaiser hit the keys again and the floor beneath the chunk of amber began to slide away. Underneath it there could be seen the vast expanse of the Digital World, far below them. 

Anything that fell from that height would not survive, not without a Digimon’s help. Preferably one that could fly. 

Daisuke lurched forward, one hand reaching toward the monitor. Kaiser pushed him back down. 

“Stay where you are. I haven’t told you that you could move yet,” Kaiser instructed firmly. Daisuke’s gaze shifted between the two of them, more and more worried as the floor slid away ever so slowly. 

Kaiser could see the confusion and the rage and the worry written all over Daisuke. He all but purred at the sight. The idea of seeing this for days and days, for weeks or months, for _forever_ , of bending and breaking Daisuke until all of his loyalty fixated on Kaiser where it belonged… 

Oh, yes. He would have that. Daisuke deserved nothing less than to remain on his knees, collared and leashed to the Kaiser, for what he’d done. 

Daisuke swallowed. Stared. And dropped his head, shoulders slumping. 

“I’ll tell you, Kaiser-sama. Just… don’t hurt her. Don’t hurt any of them.” 

Kaiser found himself amazingly tempted not to close the door. Seeing Daisuke’s face as his precious little crush fell into the deepest depths of below would be so thrilling. 

_Later,_ he promised himself. Better to take his time and do this properly. If he rushed he would risk losing Daisuke and he’d already determined that would never happen. 

But for now, he raised a hand and the floor closed itself. Daisuke sank back, eyes closed for a few seconds, and the relief written all over there could not be missed. Kaiser allowed him a few moments to rest before he flicked the leash, getting his attention. 

“Tell me.” Kaiser stared at him, then the monitors. Daisuke stared for a few moments before he looked at them, his fingers clenching on the cushion. 

“That’s Yagami Taichi. He’s Hikari-chan’s big brother.” Daisuke licked his lips nervously. “He has the Crest of Courage, like I’ve got the Digimental of Courage.” 

Kaiser’s fingers moved over the keyboard and Yagami’s features faded away, replaced by an image of the Digimental, and the Crest itself. 

“This, correct?” 

Daisuke nodded. “He plays soccer too. He’s really good.” 

One of Kaiser’s eyebrows crept upward and Daisuke ducked his head for a heartbeat. He looked for a moment as if he might consider an apology, then squared up his shoulders. 

“He is. I mean, he’s not as good as you, but...” Daisuke hesitated before he forged onward yet again. “You’re really, really good.” 

Kaiser allowed himself a tiny smile, hand slipping over to rest against Daisuke’s shoulder for those few moments. “Of course I am. But I have no more need for foolishness like that. I have a world to crush. And for that I need your information. Continue.” 

Daisuke tensed away from his touch but that was it. He swallowed and kept on going. 

“His partner is Agumon. Kind of an orange dinosaur.” 

Kaiser shifted the image on the screen to the proper location. He’d gone to a great deal of effort to be certain he knew who guarded each location, attempting to prevent his acquisition of each one. 

“And his evolutions?” He’d paid little enough attention to those before, but with his growing plans to change the power of the Evil Rings, he intended to change that, whether or not he tested them on the Chosen’s partners. There were many options. 

“I know he can evolve to Greymon.” Daisuke scratched his head for a second. “I think there are some other ones, but I don’t remember those very well.” His gaze stuttered for a moment to Kaiser before he looked away again. “Sorry.” 

“Try to remember and tell me when you do. But now.” Kaiser motioned to the second one, the blond. “This one is Takaishi’s brother, isn’t he?” 

Daisuke nodded quickly, not looking at the image. He hadn’t looked too hard at Yagami either. Kaiser noticed the guilt written across his features then as well. Very good. Very _useful_. 

“Ishida Yamato. Not sure why they have different names.” His fingers clenched harder on the cushion and Kaiser tilted his head in thought for a few seconds. He recalled something… oh. Yes. 

“This is the one your sister has a ‘crush’ on.” Kaiser remembered hearing the Chosen speaking of that a few days earlier, before he’d captured Daisuke. He’d mostly dismissed it then, but now he found it far more useful. “And the one who informed you that you should treat your sister the way _he_ wants you to, instead of acknowledging you may know her better than he does.” 

He wasn’t surprised at all to see Daisuke’s head twisting away. He’d mentioned something to this effect before. He thought Daisuke might be more receptive now. 

“Quite rude to make decisions for you, isn’t it?” Kaiser murmured, tugging the leash just enough to get Daisuke’s attention back on him. “And he never apologized, did he? Never mentioned that perhaps you could have been right.” 

Daisuke wanted to look away; Kaiser could see it. But he didn’t allow it. 

“You mean like you’re doing for me?” Daisuke snapped the words out, laced with burning fire. Kaiser smiled. 

“But there is a difference. You’ve given yourself to me for their safety. I own you now. I tell you what to do because you need the orders. Doing things on your own led to where you are now. Clearly you need someone who can think for you and I can do that.” He leaned forward. “He, on the other hand? He insulted you and pretended to be your friend. Pretended to be your teammate. I am none of those.” 

Kaiser leaned forward, hand resting again on Daisuke’s shoulder, the leash coiled in that hand. “I am your _master_ and it is my right to command you. Was it his?” 

Daisuke shook his head just a fraction. “You’re wrong. That’s different. He – he wanted to -” 

Kaiser cleared his throat. “That’s enough. What else can you tell me about him?” 

Kaiser wondered if he caught a telltale gleam of dampness in Daisuke’s eye. He thought that he did. So very sweet. The more he could dig his way into Daisuke’s emotions and twist them the way he wanted them to go, the better. 

Daisuke swallowed and jerked his head up, staring at the image. “Crest of Friendship. His partner’s Gabumon. We haven’t seen the Digimental.” 

“ _They_.” Kaiser corrected mildly. “They haven’t. You’re not one of them anymore. You live at my feet now.” 

Oh, he could see so clearly how Daisuke hated that. But he would never let Daisuke forget it, not even for a single moment. 

His slaves searched for any area or items that had the various Crest sigils on them. He would be informed whenever such was found. And the more information he had from Daisuke about that the better. 

Daisuke didn’t contradict him but once again, Kaiser suspected that he wanted to. The longer he stayed on his knees, the more he began to accept that he wasn’t going to leave unless Kaiser allowed it. 

Kaiser changed the pictures again. He’d battled the Chosen enough times to get some of the information for himself, such as who had which Digimentals currently, but now he began to build up more information. He couldn’t pin down yet who would get any further Digimentals but knowing what they were and who they could be connected to could be very useful. 

One by one Daisuke told him what he wanted to know: Tachikawa Mimi, Kido Jyou, and Ishida Yamato wielded the Crests for which the corresponding Digimentals remained unknown. Kaiser considered that, a small notion flickering into life in the back of his mind. It would be something he could plan for the future. 

“Can I go now?” Daisuke muttered, voice dry and tired. Kaiser patted him on the head. He’d done well and he deserved a small bit of praise. 

“No. I want you to stay right where you are. We’ll have lunch later.” He tilted up Daisuke’s head to smile at him. “You want lunch, don’t you?” 

He failed to be surprised when Daisuke’s eyes cut away and he nodded faintly. Kaiser called for Wormmon, ordering a carafe of water. He’d heard the strain in Daisuke’s voice and he wasn’t going to let his new slave hurt himself. 

“Here.” Kaiser ordered when the carafe arrived. When Daisuke turned to look, Kaiser set it against his lips. “Drink. Carefully.” 

Daisuke’s eyes widened as Kaiser watered him, flailing a little. Kaiser made sure not to spill it; he refused to get himself damp because Daisuke couldn’t control himself. Once it was done, he pointed at the monitors. 

“You can watch those while I work. Stay quiet.” Kaiser ordered. 

He’d already planned what the view would be. Every effort would be made to remind Daisuke of how much better being with the Kaiser was for him. This wasn’t any different. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Honestly, Yamato and Hikari’s actions in episode 4 tick me off to this day. Yamato has met Jun _once_. Hikari has _never_ met her. And yet they treat Daisuke as if he’s committed some horrible sin because he doesn’t have the same kind of relationship to her that they have to their respective siblings, and this is never brought up again after this. It’s really only done to push the plot of the episode and the theme of ‘friendship’ (you know, yelling at people instead of actually learning about them or even actual actions) because of how that relates to the events with Daisuke and V-mon later in the episode. 

I’m a little peeved on this point, as you may have noticed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Words:** 15,983/82,250|| **Chapters:** 9/47

* * *

Daisuke wanted to close his eyes and take a nap. He wasn’t really all that tired, but spending hour after hour just kneeling in one position, barely able to shift enough to keep himself from having to deal with an attack of pins and needles… 

Well, he was _bored_. He couldn’t – he wasn’t allowed to do anything stay on his knees next to the Kaiser, who kept on doing something. He’d gotten bored of watching in the first few minutes. 

If he’d been anywhere else, he would have gone off to do something more interesting. Play some soccer, go for a walk, roam around the Digital World, chat with his friends. Anything that wasn’t stay where he was and do absolutely nothing. 

If he showed too much interest in getting up now, however, Kaiser turned those terrifyingly cold eyes on him, twitching the leash that he usually kept looped around the arm of his chair. A silent but very effective warning. 

_Does he really expect me just to sit like this?_ He couldn’t imagine what the Kaiser’s purpose in all of this was. So he’d told him some things about the Chosen. It really wasn’t that important. What he’d said wasn’t anything that the Kaiser couldn’t have learned for himself. 

Though that didn’t stop the faint hints of scorched sorrow, or the broken edges of his heart. The older Chosen… they were going to hate him for all of this. He couldn’t shake the thought. The more he considered it, the more sense it seemed to make. 

_It wasn’t wrong to tackle Ichijouji Ken._ Daisuke still couldn’t get his head wrapped entirely around the concept of Ken as Kaiser or the Kaiser as Ken. He knew it was so; he could hardly not know it. But it didn’t seem real to him. 

But it hadn’t been wrong to do that. It was part of the game, after all. 

What was wrong, the parts that were his fault, were the parts where he hadn’t done everything that he could to make sure the other Chosen were safe. They kept calling him the leader, sort of. Everyone kind of expected of him when he’d been the one to receive Taichi’s goggles. 

Even now he slipped his hand up to them for a few seconds, just to remind himself that they were still there. The Kaiser hadn’t taken them from him. 

Something moved. Daisuke looked up to see Kaiser’s remote gaze staring down at him. He tensed; he didn’t like it when the Kaiser looked at him. He never had, only every other time he’d been able to do something about it, even if it was just head off to attack an Evil Tower or one of the enslaved Digimon. 

“I don’t see why you continue to wear those. They mean nothing here.” Kaiser said, his eyes moving from the goggles to Daisuke’s face. “I should make you give them to me.” 

Daisuke flinched back at once. It was bad enough that Kaiser gave orders he didn’t have a choice in obeying or that the longer he stayed here, the less he could find himself actually resisting Kaiser. He wasn’t going to lose his goggles. He _wasn’t_. 

But Kaiser didn’t move towards him. His lips thinned into something that could well have been a smile. “All in due time. But there’s something I think that you should see.” 

Daisuke tensed even more. He liked it even less when the Kaiser showed him things. The Kaiser never seemed to lie to him, which made it all the more horrible. He could figure out the Kaiser’s lies, sooner or later. But truth that he didn’t want to hear… that was so much harder. 

Kaiser gestured towards the screens, which had turned blank when Daisuke wasn’t paying attention to them. Now they faded into a blur of snow, then cleared up, revealing a place he knew quite well: his own family’s apartment. 

Jun lay on the couch, staring at the television. Was it after school? He hadn’t paid enough attention to the time to be sure. It sort of looked like it might be. 

Did that mean the other kids were in the Digital World? The older ones? They hadn’t normally helped before and all it would take would be the gate closing to keep them out of the Digital World. 

The Kaiser would win for that alone. That was yet another reason they’d hate him. This was all his fault… 

His mother came into view on the screen. “Have you heard from your brother yet?” 

“Nope.” Jun barely looked up from where she was flipping through the channels. “I did hear from one of his school friends, though. He’s staying with them for a few days. Some kind of school project.” She yawned, covering her mouth with one hand. 

His mother nodded before heading on into the kitchen. Daisuke stared at the screen, torn almost precisely in two. Part of him relaxed at the thought they weren’t worried about him, even though he had no idea of who ‘one of his school friends’ might be. Maybe Koushirou-san pulled something? He could do all kinds of things with computers, so maybe… 

On the other hand… they weren’t worried about him. A simple lie distracted them entirely from the fact he’d vanished without a word or even packing some clothes. 

The screens faded back to blackness. Daisuke stared down at the steel floor underneath him, fingers gripping on the cushion, biting back everything that he wanted to say. 

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” Kaiser’s voice whispered slow and rich and far too enticing, the kind of voice that Daisuke very much didn’t want to listen to, but couldn’t ignore. “Do you think they’ll start to worry when you don’t ever go back there?” 

“I’m going to go home.” Daisuke pulled the words out of himself. He meant every single syllable. “I won’t be here forever.” 

The Kaiser’s hand came down on the back of Daisuke’s neck. He tensed, fingers tightening even harder, but nothing else happened. 

“You are home, just like I am. I have no reason to return to the human world and neither do you.” 

Even through the gloves Kaiser wore, Daisuke could feel the warmth from his hands. He wanted very little but to get away from it. Only like so much else, he couldn’t make his own decisions on that. Kaiser kept his hand there, holding him in place. It wasn’t a rough touch, but a firm one. 

“I don’t _want_ to stay here.” Daisuke refused to let that go. Kaiser’s hand tightened just a bit in warning. 

“Don’t forget to address me properly,” he warned. “I do own you, after all.” 

Daisuke tried to twist away, with just a breath more success this time. He couldn’t go far, especially not when he found himself hauled back by the leash. Kaiser gripped his hair tightly, tugging his head backwards until their eyes met. 

“What do you say?” Kaiser asked, rage seething in every word. Daisuke didn’t let him get to the ‘threat’ part of the conversation. 

“Sorry… Kaiser-sama.” He couldn’t believe that he really was. But what else could he say? 

For a few heart stopping moments he wondered if Kaiser would decide he needed to be thrown back into that room. He could feel the blood draining at the thought and he couldn’t meet those merciless eyes for another second… 

Kaiser released him and he dropped back to his knees, panting, trying not to think about those endless hours in a place he couldn’t see but which branded itself into his memories regardless. 

“I have no reason to go back there,” Kaiser said, as if that strange interlude hadn’t happened at all. “Everything I want to do is here.” His hand rested again on the back of Daisuke’s neck. “And the same goes for you. You don’t have any reason to go back there. Your reason for existing is here: and it’s me.” 

Angry protests raised to Daisuke’s lips and died there a breath later. The lesson had been branded into him once again only moments earlier. 

Kaiser leaned back, staring at the blank screens. He said nothing for a few moments and Daisuke started to relax. It would be time to eat soon and Kaiser seemed to relax a little more when it was mealtime. 

“Your family doesn’t care any more about you than mine did.” 

Daisuke jerked; he hadn’t expected anything on that note! He started to shake his head but Kaiser’s hand gripped tighter. He wasn’t being allowed to respond, just to listen. 

“They wanted a perfect child: but not the kind of perfect that I am. The one that would make _them_ famous and wealthy. They didn’t care about my goals or my plans.” Bitter hatred laced across Kaiser’s words. “Do you think yours are any different?” 

Daisuke breathed in as Kaiser slowly released his grip. This meant he could answer? He thought? 

“They don’t want to be rich and famous.” He thought they’d take it if it were offered, but they weren’t pushing him for it. 

Kaiser let loose a small chuckle that didn’t sound even close to being amused. “They might not want that, but do you think they would act like that if they were really worried about you? Here.” 

His fingers hit the keyboard and sound filled the room. He recognized Koushirou’s voice after a few moments. 

“I’m terribly sorry that he couldn’t tell you himself but he’s very busy right now. He’s going to be staying with Takaishi Takeru for a few days but he should be home this weekend, unless something comes up with their project.” 

His father’s voice answered. “All right. Tell him we’d like him to call when he can. Thank you for letting us know.” 

And the phone call ended. 

Daisuke swallowed. Something cold and painful lodged into his chest. It sounded so very distant. As if… as if… 

As if his dad didn’t care. As if he’d been taking some kind of a business call. 

_I’ve never done this before. Never been gone so long. And you’d think I did this every other week._

Kaiser’s hand rested on his neck again. He didn’t try to move away from it this time. This time, the touch seemed more comforting, soothing, supportive. 

“They don’t care. They wouldn’t throw you out: they didn’t. But now that you’re gone, as long as plausible excuses can be made, they won’t care if you don’t come back.” 

Again Kaiser brushed his fingers on Daisuke’s neck. “They believe they will ‘rescue’ you. Do you think I will let you go?” 

Daisuke swallowed, his eyes dropping down. The very concept of giving up wouldn’t occur to him. But he had to say this, whether he wanted to or not. 

“No, Kaiser-sama. I don’t.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Kaiser has many ways to get what he wants. The truth is the most effective. Also, the older Chosen can enter the Digital World as long as there’s a gate open. D-3s can open a gate regardless. So unless the gate closes, the older ones can come and go. 

You might also want to think about what I’m _not_ saying.


	10. Chapter 10

**Words:** 17,747/82,250|| **Chapters:** 10/47

* * *

Kaiser kept his attention all on the screens. Well, perhaps not quite all of it. Enough remained to watch Daisuke and make certain that he didn’t get into any trouble. 

_At least he’s learning to be useful._

Once he’d picked Daisuke’s brain as clean of useful information as possible, and enforced the lesson that he really had nowhere else to go, he’d let Daisuke stay on his knees beside him. He twitched the leash only when necessary, not letting Daisuke doze off no matter how tired he got. 

What was his paid attention to him, after all. 

Most of the time he skipped lunch. He had a lot of work to do, especially now with his double search, one for the Digimentals and one for a way to increase the power of the Evil Rings. But lunch was also now an opportunity to brand another lesson in submission and obedience into Daisuke, and Kaiser wouldn’t forgo that for anything. 

He set his scanners to continue working before summoning Wormmon to bring lunch. Whenever he did eat, Kaiser made certain it was the best available. He _was_ the dominating monarch of this world. He deserved nothing but the best. 

Daisuke shifted a little, clearly tired and uncomfortable. Kaiser rested his hand on the back of his possession’s neck. 

“I have a treat for you after we eat,” Kaiser said, deciding it in that moment. Daisuke hadn’t fully earned it yet, but having it held in his reach would improve his obedience. 

Daisuke shifted his attention for a second. “Treat?” Kaiser wasn’t certain if he liked that hint of suspicion. Even if it did make sense. 

“That’s what I said. But to get it, you have to behave and obey me.” Kaiser smirked. “I think you knew that already, though.” 

He enjoyed seeing such conflicting emotions war across Daisuke’s features. Daisuke hated and feared him without a doubt – the fear was new, born since his arrival here, but so delicious and Kaiser sought to use it however he could. There was even a hint of submission and obedience there, also freshly born, and Kaiser knew he would encourage _those_ as well. 

He kept his hand on the back of Daisuke’s neck, feeling the other’s pulse race at his touch. Delicious, heady fear, hate, rage. Kaiser looked forward to all of them. 

He also looked forward to the pleasures of dining as Wormmon brought in lunch. Another of his favored meals, and enough of it for two. He took his portion first, taking his time, enjoying it, and enjoying the way Daisuke’s eyes flicked over and over to the food. 

Kaiser briefly glanced at his monitors during his meal, but so far they hadn’t turned up anything new. He multi-tasked very well, so while the scans searched for a new Digimental and he leisurely dined, he also considered how to deal with the Evil Rings. They needed more power and he needed a test subject. 

_One of the Chosen’s partners?_ It wasn’t a bad idea, but he thought it might well be too soon to bring them into the picture yet again. Daisuke hadn’t yet fully succumbed to his fate. 

That would happen in due time. But until then, Kaiser had no intentions of letting their paths cross. When next Daisuke saw a Chosen who wasn’t the Kaiser, his loyalty and obedience would _be_ the Kaiser’s, without fail. 

Which left other options. He wanted to make his test subject someone near and dear to them, someone who they would be reluctant to battle should it come to that. They called themselves friends? Kaiser quite looked forward to proving they were no such things, not where his Daisuke was concerned. 

They might fight to shatter his tools, but did they truly seek Daisuke? Was he anything more than a weapon to them, a weapon that he’d wrenched from them? 

He refused to get too far ahead of himself on that. Doing what he wanted to do with Daisuke, rewriting his loyalty so that it belonged to him instead of those _other_ Chosen, required a great deal more effort than anything he’d attempted so far. He refused to let it slide away. 

So once he’d finished his meal, he tugged on the leash to get Daisuke’s attention. 

“Your turn,” he declared, and brought the first piece of the food around to where Daisuke could have it. Daisuke accepted it in silence, his shoulders tense and nervous, fingers pressing harder and harder into his cushion. 

Kaiser so enjoyed keeping Daisuke off kilter. It would all lead to his ultimate fall. 

Bit by bit he fed him. He made certain Daisuke ate and drank the same that he did; all part of his plan. He’d never been starved before – you couldn’t have his kind of active life off a starvation diet – but being fed by hand the rich foods that Kaiser ate would contribute to his growing comfortable here. 

“Thank you, Kaiser-sama,” Daisuke muttered once the meal was over with. He still didn’t entirely meet Kaiser’s eyes, but that was fine. All in due time. 

Kaiser laid his hand once more on Daisuke’s neck, this time in praise. His possession had done very well being obedient, after all. Then he stood up, taking the leash in hand. 

“Come along. Time for your treat.” And he guided Daisuke out of the control room and through a myriad of corridors. 

In all truth there were far simpler ways to get through his fortress. He’d had these set up for the inevitable day when his enemies would find him and think they could track him down or take something that belonged to him. They would be lost in this maze in a matter of minutes, should that ever happen. 

This was another reason for him to continue to guide Daisuke on the leash. He didn’t want Daisuke to learn his way around. Just in case. 

In due course they arrived in the deepest dungeons of the fortress. Here Digimon of all kind were kept until he had use of them, either for transport, battle, or entertainment. Each one of them had an Evil Ring on somewhere. 

Daisuke stared at them, fingers twitching. Kaiser admired his collection briefly before he turned to Daisuke. 

“I want you to feed and water them. You won’t be able to open their cells, nor will they listen to you. But you can take them what they need.” 

Daisuke’s fingers tightened. Kaiser just smiled at him and waited to see what he would do. If he lunged, if he were foolish enough to actually attack his master, then Kaiser would punish him severely. 

But Daisuke twisted away and stalked towards the captive Digimon instead, rising fury in every line of his body. Kaiser even thought he heard him muttering a few insults. He let that slide for the moment. Ineffective words would do nothing to him. 

Once he’d made certain Daisuke was well started on his new task, Kaiser returned to his control room. He had one monitor set up to watch Daisuke and the second one continually searched for the other Digimentals. 

The third one he kept for his own use: increasing the power of the Evil Rings. That one remained his main focus for now. 

_A Child or Adult Digimon can be easily controlled,_ he mused, reviewing old recordings of battles. _A Perfect level will need something more._

It was that something more he couldn’t put his finger on. Did he just need to increase the power output? That was a logical way to start. So what he needed was a way to test it out on a Perfect level. 

Andromon would be a potential test subject. Kaiser wasn’t entirely certain, though. What he wanted were _options_ , to find the one that would hurt them the most. 

There weren’t many Digimon that he knew for a fact _could_ evolve into the Perfect Level, aside from the Chosen’s partners. As for Digimon who were already at that level, most of those seemed far more inclined to stay out of his sight, keeping themselves from his awareness. 

_So my best chances are either to pick one of the ones I already know, such as Andromon, or acquire one of their partners._

Technically he already had one of those. But so far as he was aware, V-mon hadn’t unlocked any form other than his Armor one, and he still wanted to find a way to close off that. 

A slow sly smile crossed his lips. _Why not both? I can test both variations: a Perfect level who is already that highly evolved and a Child level who can evolve that way._ Absolutely what he needed. 

But with his possession of Daisuke and the Chosen being somewhat more wary because of that, he would have to take this quite carefully. He would need Daisuke again, in fact, to ensure that he’d gained all the information possible on the Chosen and their partners’ evolutions. 

He would have preferred matters to arrange themselves so the Chosen couldn’t even come into this world to disturb him, but regardless of all that he’d done, they still intruded on his perfect world. 

But it wouldn’t be that way forever. He would either utterly destroy them or find a way to seal the gates so that no matter what, no one else could enter his world without his permission. It couldn’t be _that_ difficult. 

Kaiser leaned back in his chair and considered for a few moments before checking on Daisuke. He wanted that information, but locating his targets would be important as well. 

_And locating the Digimentals._ Without being certain of who their potential holders might be, he refused to let them fall into the hands of the enemy. 

Besides, Daisuke would also need his help to get back up here through the maze. As amusing as it would be to watch him wander around in circles for hours on end, he had too much to accomplish to let it happen today. 

He rose to his feet and headed out of the control room. He did so hope that Daisuke recalled more of what Agumon could evolve into by now. 

If not, he had other ways he could dig up the information, painful as those might be. And truth to be told, he didn’t want to cause Daisuke pain. 

At least not if he didn’t have to. He wanted Daisuke to associate him with obedience and discipline and being dominated by him, not meaningless pain. 

Kaiser suspected Daisuke wouldn’t believe that. But truth remained truth, and there were ways to get what he wanted. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Ten chapters down, thirty-seven to go. And I am planning so much _fun_.


	11. Chapter 11

**Words:** 19,523/82,250|| **Chapters:** 11/47

* * *

Daisuke hauled another pan of water down to the next Digimon in the cells and slid it through the bars. He could reach through them – carefully – but he couldn’t have stepped through the bars, nor could the Digimon on the other side move out of there. Even if they didn’t have the Rings on, they were trapped in there. 

He stared for a few seconds as the Digimon – which he wasn’t sure this one was – and wondered if he’d be able to break the Rings if he really tried. 

_Maybe if I banged on them with a big rock?_ That had a small chance of working. If he’d had a large rock and unlimited time to work with. 

Under any other circumstances, he would have tried already. He would have run this way and that trying to find a way to open the gates, get rid of the Rings, and lead every single one of these Digimon out of here. 

_And I would blow this place up if I could. I’d try anyway._

The thought of doing so warmed a cold place inside of himself, a place that flowered the longer that he realized he _couldn’t_ do what he wanted to do. And he knew exactly why he couldn’t. 

It wasn’t just because of Kaiser’s orders. Those were such a huge part of it, but they weren’t the only part that kept him restrained. He needed his partner. If he and V-mon were together, it would have been so much easier. 

But without V-mon, with his partner and his friends where he couldn’t get to them, held hostage to his good behavior… he had to do something that he didn’t want to do. 

He had to wait. He had to obey the Kaiser. He couldn’t completely forget what it was like when he didn’t obey, either. The Kaiser remained strict and firm where he was concerned; if he obeyed, he was treated well. If he didn’t, he either had to deal with being disciplined or with… that room. 

Daisuke shuddered at the thought of that room. He didn’t want to ever go back there. 

He leaned against the wall, catching his breath. He’d fed just about every Digimon that he could see here and every part of his body ached from hauling pans of water and huge piles of food. 

_So do I go back up there to him?_ He guessed he would, but the thought of trying to find his way through all of those corridors sent chills down all through him. He’d never done well with mazes. Even knowing there was a way through it didn’t make it any better. 

He fingered the collar around his neck. He doubted Kaiser would ever take this off of him. At least he’d taken the leash off – for now. Kaiser would probably put it back the next time he wanted to lead him somewhere. 

Daisuke heaved up a great sigh and moved out to check if he’d finished feeding all the Digimon. He wanted to get that out of the way before he even tried going through the corridors. 

There was another point he wanted to check for. Until now he hadn’t been anywhere in the fortress on his own. He’d been kept so firmly under Kaiser’s thumb that he could almost feel those cold eyes staring into the back of his head now. 

_Maybe they’re around here somewhere._ Daisuke wished he’d had the energy to go searching for his friends and V-mon. He’d never been so exhausted as he was now, except when he’d gotten out of That Room. 

Though the kinds of exhaustion were really different. He’d been tired before because he wasn’t allowed to sleep, no matter how much he wanted to. Now he was worn out because he’d been working for hours. 

He yawned, making his way to the end of the corridor of cells. He’d fed all of them here. Each Digimon ate as soon as he put the food there, but none of them looked at him or said anything. Being around here was one of the most depressing places he could think of. 

When he reached the far end, he turned and headed up a small flight of stairs that led to yet another stretch of cells. He’d fed all the Digimon on this one too. He kept on going, wanting to be sure he’d taken care of all the Digimon here. 

There were about five levels of cells and cages. The doors opened for him as soon as he got close enough: at least most of them did. On his first trip through here he’d found one that didn’t move. 

He’d found it by bumping right into it, since he’d assumed it would open and kept right on walking. Now he stopped and stared at it. He glanced around for a second; if Kaiser was watching, would he object to this? 

_Don’t care._ He knew he was lying. Kaiser dominated him so thoroughly, so intensely, that if he _did_ object to this, Daisuke would know about it. But he balled up his fist and slammed it on the door as hard as he could regardless, kicking it a heartbeat later, repeating until his hands and feet ached too much to do it any longer. 

“You shouldn't do that,” a quiet voice said from behind him. Daisuke twisted around and stared, glancing down when he didn’t see the Kaiser. 

Wormmon wriggled a bit out of the shadows, staring up at him with kind blue eyes. 

“The door won’t open unless Ken – I mean Kaiser-sama – unless he wants it to.” 

Daisuke rubbed his hand carefully. “I kinda figured that out. What’s he keeping in there, all of his spare capes?” 

“No. He keeps those in his wardrobe.” Wormmon wiggled closer. “I don’t know what he has in there, but he wants it protected at all costs. So no one can get in there but him.” 

Daisuke stared back at it, almost tempted to try again. If his hand and feet didn’t hurt so much, he would have. _I bet it’s them. What else would he want protected?_ As long as they were in there, then he had to do what Kaiser wanted him to do. 

Wormmon nudged against him. Daisuke looked down just in time to see him wincing back, and wondered what the little Digimon expected him to do. 

“You should go back. You’ve finished your chore and he’ll want you back.” Wormmon peered upwards at him. “Don’t make him mad. He’ll hurt you if you do.” 

Daisuke shuddered at a rush of memory, That Room. That horrible, far too small room, where he could do nothing but suffer. 

“Yeah. I know. But I don’t know how to get back through that maze.” Would the Kaiser come and get him if he didn’t come back on his own? 

“I can show you another way. It will get you back up to the control room a lot faster.” Wormmon started to move back. “You’re not happy here, are you?” 

Daisuke couldn’t help. He laughed. He didn’t think it was all that funny, but what else would he do? “No. I’m not.” He didn’t want to be here at all. He didn’t want to do anything the Kaiser said or hear any of what had to be lies. 

He didn’t want to think about _anything_ Kaiser had told him. Just the thought of it burned in his mind. He’d thrown himself into feeding the Digimon just to avoid thinking on it. 

“You should try to be. That’ll make it better.” Wormmon looked around before ducking his head. “I would let you go, but Kaiser doesn’t want that. He’d know if I let you out and he’d go get you again.” 

Daisuke stifled something that might have been another laugh. He wasn’t honestly sure if it would be or not. “As long as he’s got my friends, I can’t go anywhere. But thanks.” At least he sort of had a friend? Or there was someone here who didn’t dislike him? 

Was it more than he’d had before? He hated to think it might have been. 

Had they really been faking it? Had they tolerated him because he had the Digimental of Courage? 

_Not feeling all that brave right now._

He would figure all of that out later. He hoped, anyway. 

Daisuke shoved the thought away and looked back at Wormmon. “Hey, could I pick you up? That could make this go faster.” 

Wormmon blinked for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. “All right.” He tensed up as Daisuke reached to pick him up. Holding Wormmon wasn’t anything like holding V-mon or Chibimon. They were wriggling bundles of energy that demanded attention just by existing. Wormmon hung gently in his arms, his pods clinging to Daisuke. 

Daisuke had wondered for the first few seconds if Wormmon would be slimy. He was a worm, after all. But he wasn’t. He was quite dry, and his pods clung onto Daisuke sort of like V-mon’s claws did, only without hurting. 

“It’s this way,” Wormmon said, turning his head, and Daisuke headed that way. Wormmon gave him directions as they traveled. The route wasn’t as twisting or confusing as going through the maze corridors were, and sooner than Daisuke would have expected, they stepped out into a hallway that he thought he recognized: not far from the control room. 

Wormmon wriggled more and Daisuke put him down, since that seemed to be what he wanted. 

“The control room is that way,” Wormmon said, pointing off to the left. “I’m sure he knows that you’re on the way.” 

Daisuke nodded; that wouldn’t have surprised him at all. 

“I have to go take care of some things. I’ll see you later, though?” Wormmon asked. He peeked up a little in the most adorable way Daisuke had seen since the last time he’d seen V-mon. 

So now he smiled like he would have at his partner. “Sure. Looking forward to it!” 

“Really?” 

Daisuke froze the moment he heard that voice. He managed, with some effort, to drag his head around. There stood Kaiser, arms folded over his chest, staring at him as if his glare alone could have hurt. It sort of did, just by how much it terrified him. 

_I am scared of him._ Daisuke admitted to himself. Kaiser could hurt him however much he wanted to and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. 

“Come.” Kaiser snapped, turning on his heel and stalking toward the command room. Daisuke followed, a little of his fear easing when Kaiser only ordered him to kneel on his cushion, then said nothing more. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** So is Daisuke right? Are the others hidden behind that door? I’m not telling~


	12. Chapter 12

**Words:** 21,192/82,250|| **Chapters:** 12/47

* * *

Kaiser watched as his equipment scanned through the Digital World, searching for those Digimentals. So far the search had lasted for several days with little success. He used his time wisely, of course, using it to train Daisuke. Every day he made certain to feed Daisuke from his own hands, watching him kneel next to Kaiser’s chair, learning not to speak unless he were spoken to, and how to obey when he was given orders. 

Kaiser praised and petted Daisuke whenever he did something that he should have. Being rewarded definitely helped teach him. 

Now he rested one hand on Daisuke’s head, fingers moving slowly through the reddish strands. He glanced down at the goggles in the way and frowned. Those interfered with his touch. He wanted to get rid of them – he had a plan for what to do with them but he didn’t want Daisuke starting to get annoyed and irritable because he’d disposed of the item. 

For now, he moved his hand back farther along. He preferred his touch to rest on the back of Daisuke’s head anyway. Doing so reinforced that he had the power of life and death over Daisuke, whether he liked it or not. 

Not to mention he quite liked the feeling of Daisuke’s breath under his fingers. The longer he touched, the more Daisuke relaxed, tension flowing out of him. 

“I need to find those things,” he muttered, attention returned to the scanning. “The sooner the better.” 

Daisuke stirred some, raising his head, though not enough to pull it away from Kaiser’s touch. He’d learned not to do that a couple of days earlier, when he’d tried, and Kaiser twisted the leash until he came close to choking. 

“Why do you want them?” Daisuke asked. “I mean, you’ve got the only Chosen who can use them all locked up in those bits of amber. Why… why does it matter?” 

Kaiser chuckled at that. He’d suspected Daisuke would ask this sooner or later. He’d carefully encouraged _certain_ questions, wanting to nurture Daisuke in the way he wanted to see him grow. 

“It doesn’t. As you said, I have all of your friends locked up.” His touch brushed closer against Daisuke’s neck. “And you won’t go against me, will you?” 

Daisuke trembled at his touch even more. Kaiser soothed him again, wanting Daisuke to relax and submit to him. Daisuke slowly swallowed and shook his head. 

“No, Kaiser-sama. I can’t.” 

Kaiser smiled again. It wasn’t perfect; he wanted Daisuke to choose to stand beside him because he knew it was the right thing, not out of fear for his former companions. 

He would get what he wanted. He had _many_ projects, some of which he only worked on when Daisuke went off to do the chores he’d carefully assigned to him. 

But now that brought up a thought and he acted on it. 

“There’s something that I think you should do. The older Chosen have been waiting until natural gates open between the worlds.” His lip curled at the words. “They’ve been quite annoying, even without being able to evolve. That’s another reason I intend to take those unclaimed Digimentals for my own.” 

Daisuke shifted a touch, tilting his head to look up. “What do you want me to do, Kaiser-sama?” He sounded more worried than he should have. In Kaiser’s opinion, the only thing Daisuke needed to worry about was if he’d angered his master or not. So far he hadn’t. 

At least, not so far today. 

“I want you to inform them that you’re with me and you’re not going to leave. Don’t tell them why. They don’t need to know. But they do need to know that you’re mine now and that’s all that matters.” Again his fingers pressed a bit hard on the back of Daisuke’s neck. “That is true, isn’t it?” 

Daisuke’s pulse fluttered underneath Kaiser’s fingers. He swallowed for a moment. “Yes, Kaiser-sama.” He turned his head away as he spoke. Kaiser frowned at that. 

“Say that again. But this time, I want you to look at me when you do. Say it very clearly, too. Say it like you mean it.” He kept his voice hard as he spoke. Another lesson this was, and one he wouldn’t let Daisuke get away without learning. 

For a moment he thought he might have to drive it into Daisuke another way. Then slowly Daisuke raised his head and met Kaiser’s eyes. Fear was written deep in there, and anger, and helpless submission. 

Kaiser liked the sight of that last one the most. He traced one finger alongside Daisuke’s face and waited. 

“I’m yours, Kaiser-sama,” Daisuke said, voice louder than the last time. “I’ll tell them that I’m yours.” 

“Good.” Kaiser cupped the side of Daisuke’s face. “What have they done to you?” 

He made certain Daisuke never, ever forgot how they treated him. He’d brought up other concerns and considerations as well, letting his words sink into Daisuke’s mind to grow there. 

“They treated me like junk. Like what I knew didn’t matter. Like they could make decisions for me and they didn’t have the right to do it. They only accepted me because I was the one who could lift the Digimental. They would have done the same thing to anyone else who had it.” Daisuke repeated what Kaiser told him; what Kaiser knew was true. “It wasn’t ever because they _liked_ me.” 

Kaiser touched soothingly once again. He really wasn’t _good_ at being soothing, but he’d seen that the kinder he was to Daisuke, the more Daisuke swallowed everything that he said. 

Of course, what he said was the truth and Daisuke should listen to him anyway. The gentleness only made it happen that much faster. 

“And what do I do to you?” 

That took a touch longer for Daisuke to answer. Kaiser knew how he thought by now: Daisuke wanted to make certain that whatever he said didn’t anger him. He allowed that. The more Daisuke thought about not getting him mad, the easier it would be for him to say what would please Kaiser. 

“You make me stay here because of my… because of them.” Daisuke’s voice trembled. “Because of V-mon. You’ll kill them if I don’t listen to you. I don’t want that.” 

Kaiser let himself smile at that. That was what was true: for now. He indicated for Daisuke to keep going. 

“You punish me if I don’t listen to you. You’re honest with me. I don’t like it but you are.” Again there was the hint of a tremble. “You make me eat from your hands.” 

Kaiser pressed his fingers into Daisuke’s skin, not enough to hurt, but a mild reprimand. “I _allow_ you to eat from my hands. That’s an honor no one else has.” 

Daisuke shuddered, fingers gripping onto the cushion he knelt on. “You allow me to eat from your hands. I have to stay here, on this cushion. Kneeling. And you put a collar and leash on me.” 

“For your own good.” 

Daisuke nodded, hints of despair now flickering. “It’s all for my own good.” 

Kaiser wasn’t sure yet if Daisuke _believed_ that but it was enough to hear him say it for the moment. 

With Daisuke’s lessons recited once again – he made certain Daisuke did this at least once a day – he reached into one of the hidden pockets of his cape and pulled out Daisuke’s D-Terminal. 

Breaking into it hadn’t taken any effort at all. The silly boy hadn’t even put a password on it, let alone any actual protections. He settled it where Daisuke could get to it. 

“See? They’ve wanted to get in touch with you.” 

Daisuke leaned forward, picking it up and starting to scan through them. Hunger filled his eyes now; Kaiser suspected that he wanted to interact with people who _weren’t_ Kaiser a great deal. But that wouldn’t happen for quite a while. 

He’d read all of those messages, of course. He’d had to eliminate a few, just to make certain Daisuke didn’t get any information that he didn’t want to Daisuke to have. That wasn’t a problem. Most of the messages repeated the same thing over and over. 

Daisuke started to reach for the terminal’s keyboard, before he looked up at Kaiser worriedly. 

“Go ahead. But I’ll approve what you send before you do.” Kaiser warned him. There would be no free passing of information on his watch. 

There was so much that Daisuke didn’t need to know. Nor did the Chosen. 

It took a few moments for Daisuke to get his message typed. Kaiser kept an eye on it the whole time. He’d held this back as long as he had for a reason. 

_Guys, I’m okay. I’m with Kaiser-sama and I’m staying here. It’s for the best. I’m doing this for the others, too. They’ll be fine as long as I do what he says. I’ll try to get him to release them soon, but I’m staying here. Tell my family… I miss them. And I miss you guys._

Kaiser let out a deep sigh. Daisuke jerked his head up and stared at him. “Kaiser-sama?” 

“Only the first two sentences. The others are useless. They don’t need to know any of that. And do you really miss them that much?” 

Daisuke dropped his eyes for the few seconds that Kaiser allowed before tilting his possession’s head back upward. He waited for an answer quietly. 

“Not like I used to, Kaiser-sama,” Daisuke said at last. Kaiser allowed a gentle pet of praise. 

“I didn’t think so.” He gestured to the terminal and Daisuke obediently erased all the irrelevant comments. He signed it quietly before looking up again, questioning eyes, and Kaiser nodded. 

The Chosen would _see_ how much it was for the best for Daisuke when he thought it time to show them his perfectly trained servant. That would take time, of course. But if it took time, then it was worth doing, and definitely worth the end results. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Look, communication! Of a sort...


	13. Chapter 13

**Words:** 22,928/82,250|| **Chapters:** 13/47

* * *

Daisuke wanted to keep hold of his D-Terminal, to read over those messages one more time. There were so many of them, from all the older Chosen. He’d never even known that Jou-san or Koushirou-san, let alone Mimi-san, knew _how_ to get in touch with him like that. 

He would read them all and answer them all and if he could tell them that the Kaiser had all the others captive, then he would. No matter how much they hated him for it, he would tell them. They should know. Maybe they could even rescue the others. 

But would they try to rescue him? He’d wondered about that since all of this started. Kaiser – Kaiser-sama – encouraged him to believe that they wouldn’t. 

_If they do,_ he thought quietly, settling himself back onto his cushion, trying not to disturb Kaiser-sama, _it’s because they need me. Not because they want me._

He could feel the Kaiser’s gaze on him. He felt the fingers a heartbeat later, as Kaiser pulled the D-Terminal out of his hands. It vanished before he could see where Kaiser-sama put it and he bit his lip hard. 

“You don’t need that,” Kaiser-sama said, voice a soft reassurance. “What else would you really tell them?” 

Daisuke swallowed. He wanted to scream and shout everything but Kaiser would _hurt him_. Daisuke didn’t want to be hurt. Not when it didn’t do anything. He could have managed if it had won him something. Like he managed just living here with the Kaiser. 

“You won’t let me tell them anything else,” Daisuke murmured, his eyes dropping down now to the floor. Kaiser caught him by the back of the head and tilted upward so their eyes met. 

Kaiser-sama liked doing that to him far too much. 

“Because there’s nothing else that you need to tell them. _I_ will tell them of the fate of their friends, when I choose to do so. I want them to understand that you’re not one of them anymore, no matter what. And you will see them again, I promise: when I deem you ready.” 

Daisuke wasn’t surprised to hear that. He swallowed, trying not to move his head out of the Kaiser’s grip. “When will that be?” 

“When you kneel at my feet because you want to. When you serve me because you know it’s the right thing for you to do. When you are mine in every possible way.” Kaiser didn’t move his gaze away from Daisuke’s. “Trust me. That will happen. Tell me a reason you would want to stay with them. A _real_ reason.” 

What came to Daisuke’s lips first was the simple fact that they were his friends. They’d done things, sure, but did that mean they weren’t friends? 

_You’re their friend and you never did that to them. You never told them they were wrong to like their siblings._

Daisuke shuddered as the thought passed through him. Kaiser smiled, as if he could read that. 

“I have another question for you. You don’t have to answer. Just think about it.” 

That made Daisuke tense even more. Thinking about the things Kaiser told him wasn’t pleasant at all. 

“Why were you Chosen?” 

Daisuke hadn’t ever thought about that before. He’d never thought about why any of them were Chosen. They just _were_ and it was their job to protect the Digital World from the Digimon Kaiser. Which he knew he wasn’t doing a good job of and the others couldn’t do that much either and yet… 

He swallowed some. “I don’t know.” 

“I didn’t think you did. But as I said, think about it. Were you Chosen because you are a hero? Because you could be one? Because you can make a difference?” Kaiser leaned forward, his hand not having moved at all outside of Daisuke’s hair. “Or was it because you knew the Yagamis? Just a suitable person – one of many – at the right place and time.” 

He leaned back. “Whether or not you know why this world chose you, I know why _I_ did.” 

“Because I hurt you and you want to get revenge.” Daisuke replied without hesitation. 

Kaiser let out a chuckle, one that sent chills all through Daisuke. “The first reason. But not the only reason. I chose you because I find you very useful. Because I can teach you and you _deserve_ to be taught. You deserve to sit at my feet and learn what I can make of you.” 

Daisuke started to open his mouth, until Kaiser tapped the back of his head, signaling for silence. He hadn’t finished. 

“Did they ever want to help you? Or did they demand it all from you and give nothing in return?” 

That sounded like something else that Kaiser wanted him to think about and not talk about, at least not right now. Daisuke wasn’t even sure what he could say about it. He’d never asked for help from them. He’d never thought he needed it, until now. 

And they weren’t here. 

_They don’t know how to get here._ He’d seen that the fortress flew. Kaiser liked to hide it in places where the Chosen wouldn’t think to look, and now that they were down as much as they were – all the people who could evolve in any way easily were gone – the remaining Chosen … could they really do anything? 

He needed to talk to them. He had to ask. He had to _know_. 

He wanted to believe they would come, but the longer they didn’t… the longer he was here with no sign that they wanted to find him. 

_They don’t know how to get here and until now they didn’t know I was even here. For all they knew, we were all dead. Or worse. What are they going to do now?_

He could only hope that Kaiser would let him know. The idea of that hope made him want to laugh. The Kaiser only told him little things, tiny whispers that seemed tailored just to crush every hope he’d ever had. If they were trying to help him, the Kaiser would probably not tell him. 

The words were out of his mouth before he really thought about it. 

“You won’t let me go to them. Would you let them come to me if they wanted to?” 

He didn’t get an answer right away. He kept staring downward, warned by the hand on his neck not to look up. But after what felt like forever… 

“Yes. Because that’s the only way that you’ll learn the truth.” Kaiser’s fingers moved over his keyboard. Daisuke couldn't see what was on the screens from this angle, not unless he put more effort into twisting his head up. 

Daisuke kept silent, staring down harder. He wasn’t interested in whatever it was the Kaiser was doing. He was still exhausted after feeding five levels of the Kaiser’s slaves and getting even a glimpse of the fact the Chosen at least wanted to know what was going on… 

_They weren’t just e-mailing me. They couldn’t be. They didn’t know I was the only one who could answer. They don’t know about them being sealed up like that._

They asked everyone. They had to have. And he still couldn’t tell them what really happened. 

His head drooped down even farther as the exhaustion sank sharp claws deeper and deeper into him. He tried to keep his eyes open, no matter how much he didn’t want to. Kaiser-sama would be _mad_ at him if he fell asleep without permission. 

Kaiser had lifted his hand to go back to work. Without that eternal reminder, it was so difficult to keep himself awake. There would be pain. He would be punished. 

“Sleep if you want to. I don’t need you for anything else right now. But when you wake up, I’m going to teach you how to get around the fortress. You’ll need to know. You’ll have more work to do.” 

Daisuke heard those words with a little shock. Kaiser’s kindness… so unexpected. He’d been so sure he’d be kept awake whether he wanted to be or not. 

But now Kaiser’s hand came back onto his neck, a soothing caress that he couldn’t remember feeling anything like before, except from the Kaiser. 

He wanted to believe that he couldn’t trust him. But whether he liked it or not, everything that he had came from the Kaiser now. Eating, drinking, sleeping, doing _anything_ , it all came from the Kaiser. 

A bit of a whisper of a thought came to him. He had to focus in order to ask it, though. 

“Kaiser-sama...” 

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” 

If he’d sounded even mildly annoyed, Daisuke would have shut up. But he didn’t. Daisuke gathered up his courage and cranked the words out. 

“I need a bath. Please?” He hated having to say that last word, even through his weary haze. But he did need one. He’d been allowed to use the Kaiser’s bathroom – which most certainly was about ten cuts above what he was used to back home – but he hadn’t had a good shower since the night before the day he’d come to the Digital World this last time. 

He also hated needing to ask but he’d learned for days now that he had to ask for anything that he wanted and he still didn’t always get it. 

Kaiser’s hand moved a touch. He made a noise that sounded almost like a laugh. 

“You do. Very well. Tonight you’ll use the shower.” A low chuckle that was even less like a laugh but held a wicked edge to it. That never meant anything good. “And I’ll make sure that you get clean clothes, too. Those need a wash as much as you do.” 

Daisuke wasn’t going to argue that. He’d never worn anything as long as he’d worn this now. Everything just seemed so stiff and worn, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of how long it had been or because of all the work that he’d done today. 

But that soothing touch came again and what energy he’d managed to dredge up to ask slowly slipped away. 

“Rest, Daisuke. And think about what I asked you.” 

Ever since he’d come to live here, Daisuke’s ability to resist the Kaiser’s commands ebbed away. Now he closed his eyes, leaned his head against the Kaiser’s seat, and fell into a deep, exhausted slumber. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Are we all having fun? I know I am. But then again, I know what’s coming soon...


	14. Chapter 14

**Words:** 24,692/82,250|| **Chapters:** 14/47

* * *

Kaiser refused to smirk. He truly wanted to but he kept his features as neutral as possible regardless. 

Of course, that was all on the outside. On the inside, he not only smirked as wide as possible, but let out a few wild cackles as well. 

_It’s working!_ It was going slow. He was taking his time. But in the end that would make his hold over Daisuke that much stronger. So much better than trusting an Evil Ring to do the job. Those could be broken with enough effort and he still hadn’t taken the steps to figure out if they would have the proper effect on humans. 

But this way was far better and much more to his liking. He couldn’t be certain of how much longer it would take: days, weeks, months. 

_In the end, I’ll have it. I’ll have him._ A joyous smile tugged at the corners of his lips and he allowed it this once. Daisuke remained asleep, leaning against his master’s seat. That was why Kaiser made certain to remain quiet. He wanted to ensure that Daisuke associated peaceful rest with being with him: another gift he allowed his slave. 

Now his fingers danced over the keys again. He’d finished most of his work for the day and he had a particular small project to complete. It hadn’t really occurred to him until Daisuke brought up the mention of getting washed up. 

_I don’t know why I didn’t think about it before._ He’d been busy, that was all. But now he would ensure that proper cleaning and changing of clothes would be inserted into Daisuke’s training. Just like the rest, it would all be part of educating him properly. 

He contemplated the view on the screens before glancing back at Daisuke’s relaxed form. Those goggles would _have_ to go. But he still wanted Daisuke to hand them over himself, to surrender all connections to the Chosen. 

_He’s mine. He’ll always be mine, just like this world._

Kaiser could be patient. He would have to be; having a long-term prisoner that he needed to take care of and train meant that, among other things. 

He could see Wormmon creeping into the room, giving Daisuke a worried look, before coming closer. His eyes narrowed; why in any world did he have to get saddled with this thing as his so-called partner? Wasn’t there _anyone_ more suitable he could have? 

At least he could be useful in small ways. 

“You showed Daisuke the shortcut back up here,” he said, still focusing on creating the garments he’d decided on Daisuke wearing from now on. “Without my permission.” 

Wormmon shrunk back at once. Whatever he’d wanted to say died on his lips at once. 

Did Wormmon even have lips? Kaiser wasn’t at all sure and dismissed the thought as soon as it occurred to him. 

“I’m sorry?” Wormmon’s pods scuffled on the floor. “I thought you would want him back fast?” 

Kaiser made a noncommittal sort of sound. He wasn’t so much angry about Wormmon showing the shortcut as he was about the lack of permission. His fingers tapped for a brief moment. 

“Don’t ever do that without my permission again. Understand?” He snapped out the last word, misjudging his tone to the point Daisuke stirred, eyes opening, confused at first but clearing in a few seconds. 

Kaiser snarled under his breath at that. “See what you did?” His hand fell to his whip and he started to pull it out. 

“Stop!” Daisuke sat up, eyes wide, reaching outward. “Don’t hit him!” 

Slowly Kaiser turned to look at his captive, rage sparking slowly. He’d just been so pleased at how Daisuke’s progress moved along and now this? 

“What did you say?” 

Daisuke started to push himself off the cushion. Kaiser shook his head in disbelief. How _dare_ he? 

“I said, don’t hit him. He didn’t do anything wrong. You shouted.” 

The fact Daisuke was _right_ didn’t mean a thing to Kaiser. He took a few steps closer, seizing Daisuke by the chin and staring down at him. 

“This is my fortress. Everything and everyone in it belongs to me. That includes you and that includes him. And since you’re all my property, I can do whatever I want to all of you.” 

He tapped the end of his whip on Daisuke’s chin. “You could have just stayed quiet. You _should_ have.” 

Daisuke started to open his mouth. Kaiser struck him hard across it without hesitation. “You won’t speak until I give you permission. I’ll tell you when the term of your punishment is up. And that stands no matter where you are in this fortress or where _I_ am. Even if you think you’re alone, you won’t be. I know what you’re doing here at all times. So you _will_ be silent.” 

Kaiser didn’t look away from Daisuke before he spoke again. “Wormmon. You’re forbidden to speak to Daisuke until and unless I say otherwise. Understood?” 

The little worm ducked his head in what Kaiser presumed was a nod. Kaiser kept his full attention on Daisuke, raising one hand to caress through his hair. He’d found he enjoyed doing that very much. 

“I don’t really like hurting you. You shouldn’t do things so I need to,” he murmured. “That’s very wrong of you, to make me hurt you like that. Isn’t it?” 

In full truth, Kaiser didn’t expect Daisuke to truly believe that. He didn’t think _anyone_ who had two brain cells to rub together would believe it. But to achieve his goals? Without a doubt, Kaiser would _say_ it. 

“Answer me.” Kaiser ordered, with a flash of his favorite smirk. “But don’t talk.” 

He savored the confusion all over Daisuke’s features as his captive – his slave – his _possession_ \- wrangled with how to answer that. It wasn’t a difficult answer, really, and Daisuke found it after a few moments. For the first second or two he looked as if he wanted to shake his head. Kaiser waited; he wasn’t going to let that slide. 

But Daisuke slowly nodded, flickers of emotions all through his eyes. Kaiser smiled in approval. There would be fallbacks; it was really only natural. But those wouldn’t last. 

“You still want that bath, don’t you?” 

Another nod, but Kaiser suspected that Daisuke didn’t think that he would get it now. He looked forward to surprising him. 

“I thought so. Now, before we move on to that, I want to show you something.” He gestured to the screens. “Your new clothes.” 

Daisuke glanced that way curiously. Kaiser wondered what he’d expected. It surely couldn’t have been anything like what Kaiser had in mind for him. He’d kept it simple. More sumptuous outfits could wait for another day. For now, he’d created a simple pair of pants and a shirt, along with a set of boots. 

He had an idea for something else to add to it, but he would hold off on that for a short while. He wanted this to be a surprise. 

Tension writ large in Daisuke’s shoulders eased off at the sight of the ordinary clothes. Kaiser made them in his preferred colors, of course, not the flame patterns Daisuke’s originals had been in. That fire had been extinguished. 

Which was why he’d colored these garments in shades of gray ash. He thought black might well go with Daisuke’s coloring better, but that could be another time. 

“Do you like them?” Kaiser murmured. “I created them just for you.” 

He didn’t. Daisuke’s features told his thoughts far more than his words ever would. Kaiser thought his words distracted from the truth, though he also didn’t think Daisuke was all that capable of telling a proper lie. 

But he nodded anyway, eyes darting back to Kaiser in search of approval. Kaiser did approve of that. 

“Let’s go.” He nudged Daisuke out of the room, instructing the computer to begin manifesting the clothes. They would be ready by the time Daisuke finished his bath. 

He could have taken Daisuke to one of the lesser bathing areas, or even gone to the trouble of creating a bathroom just for Daisuke. Instead, he brought Daisuke to his own bathroom. 

“Take as long as you need. You are a bit fragrant.” Kaiser sniffed briefly. “I don’t want to see you out of here until you’ve soaked all of that out of you. You do understand that.” 

Another nod, but Daisuke’s attention hovered more on the sunken bathtub than anything else. Kaiser allowed that; he wouldn’t every time. 

“If you stay too long, though, you’ll miss dinner. I know you don’t want that.” 

He brushed his fingers through Daisuke’s hair one last time before he reached down and unclipped Daisuke’s collar. He liked it more for how it looked on him than how useful it was to lead him around on the leash really. Which was why he had the gift in mind that he did. 

“Don’t worry.” Kaiser smiled and enjoyed the way Daisuke eyed him so very nervously. He couldn’t at all say that he disliked Daisuke being so wary around him. It was the way things should be, for now. “You’ll get it back later. It needs to be cleaned as well. From now on, you’re going to bathe regularly. I don’t think you object to that.” 

He wanted to make certain that what was his was properly taken care of, after all. Collar in hand, he stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door behind himself before heading back to his control room. 

This would be the point in time where he actually could not spy on Daisuke. The monitors would watch him, but he would have to rewind to ensure Daisuke obeyed his instructions. 

Though since Daisuke didn’t know that, Kaiser suspected that he would be very, very quiet. And he would indeed double check the records to ensure Daisuke hadn’t disobeyed. 

He could do so many worse punishments to Daisuke than just the sensory deprivation chamber. If this was what it took to convince Daisuke of that, then he would gladly do so. 

_I wonder if he expected me to stay in there with him._ He’d considered it, but decided it would be non-productive in the long run. This would show how much he trusted Daisuke to perform such a simple action as taking a bath: and that Daisuke had earned that trust from him already. 

An ordinary bath would be more than enough to cause the effects that he wanted. Presuming Daisuke understood, of course. 

But after all of this, Kaiser believed that he would. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Ah, the evil giggling I am doing. And I don’t have to be quiet about it. I can giggle as loudly as I want to.


	15. Chapter 15

**Words:** 26,511/82,250|| **Chapters:** 15/47

* * *

Daisuke scrubbed as hard as he could, ducking his head underneath the water to rinse the shampoo out of his hair. Then he scrubbed up all over again and dripped more shampoo on top. 

He’d done this three times already. After days with the Kaiser, he wanted to make certain he was absolutely clean. 

Finally he slouched back in the hot water and breathed, trying to relax a little more. He hoped he didn’t fall asleep. He’d already slept a lot, but getting cleaned up like this wore him out more than he thought. 

_I need to get out of here._ Didn’t just need; he _wanted_ to get out of the Kaiser’s fortress, preferably taking all of the others with him. 

If it came to that, he would send all the others out and stay here himself. That wasn’t what he really wanted, but if he had options, that was what he would do. 

Daisuke looked down at the water. The ripples made it hard to see but he could tell at least one thing: bruises didn’t heal any faster in the Digital World than they did in the human world. 

And he’d been bruised. Kaiser didn’t pull his punches at all, physical or emotional. 

_He said he didn’t want to._ Daisuke wasn’t all that certain he should believe him. From the moment he’d first met the Kaiser, he knew the other sadistically enjoyed hurting humans or Digimon. He wouldn’t do what he did if he _didn’t_ enjoy it. 

For that matter, everything Kaiser said to him indicated that he enjoyed hurting Daisuke. He went out of his way to find all the parts where it would hurt the most. 

_All right. So he was lying. He enjoys hurting me. He enjoys hitting me and lying to me and saying whatever’s going to make me do what he wants._

He had to remember that. The Kaiser lied and the Kaiser hurt him because he wanted to. Even if he didn’t _want_ to, he did it anyway, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He’d blackmailed Daisuke into doing his bidding and he would keep on blackmailing him. 

He slowly dipped himself underneath the water again, rinsing one more time. He didn’t want to get out. He wanted to rest here as long as he could, but that couldn’t be. Whether he liked it or not, Kaiser’s blackmail was successful in that much: he had to take the Kaiser’s orders. Which meant he couldn’t stay here all that long. 

_I can’t even talk if he doesn’t want me to._ Daisuke growled under his breath, smacking the water. He didn’t dare, not even without the Kaiser there. The Kaiser _watched_ him. He didn’t need to see it to know it. Everything that happened in That Room made it pretty plain. 

If he talked against the Kaiser’s will, Kaiser would know about it. And he’d _hurt_ Daisuke for it. 

Hot tears of rage pricked at his eyes. He wiped them off as best he could before he got down to serious rinsing of his hair, hoping that the tears would be lost in the water. Kaiser would use that against him, like he used everything else. 

_When’s he going to let me out of here? When can I go home?_

As much as he disliked the thought, he already knew the answer: Kaiser wouldn’t. Not willingly. He had exactly what he wanted to keep Daisuke at his feet: the other Chosen. 

_Doesn’t matter what they said or did. They’re still my friends._

He would have to find a way to get them out of there. 

_Find them first. Then get them out of there. Without that stupid amber._

The idea of what the older Chosen would say or do to him because of this still sent shivers all through him. They couldn’t hate him that much, no matter what Kaiser said, right? They would understand that accidents happened. 

At least they might if he could _tell_ them what happened. But right now all they knew was that Daisuke was staying with the Kaiser and he wasn’t telling them what happened to everyone else. 

_This is all the Kaiser’s fault. If he hadn’t..._

Daisuke bit his lip at that. Another thought cropped up, striking tiny daggers into his heart. 

_He wouldn’t have done that to them if it wasn’t for me. If I hadn’t hurt him that day._

It wasn’t his real fault. He hadn’t known that Ichijouji Ken was the Kaiser. He probably would have done it even if he had known, just to take the Kaiser down a few pegs. 

_So even if I had known, I’d probably be right here anyway._ Which made it his fault. They were trapped because of him. V-mon was trapped because of him. 

He was trapped because of himself. 

Daisuke stared at the edge of the tub and the clothes on the other side. They weren’t the best but they weren’t rags. He rubbed his neck slowly, enjoying the sensation of _not_ having anything there at all. 

But he knew there would be. Kaiser wouldn’t change that. He liked leading Daisuke around far too much. He liked yanking Daisuke around on it too much. 

_All right. Gotta get out of here._ If he stayed too long, Kaiser would come and get him. That would be bad enough. 

He pulled himself out of the tub and grabbed for the nearest towel, rubbing himself down before he headed to the pile of clothes. It didn’t take very long for him to get dressed again, finding that they fit perfectly. He decided he wasn’t going to ask questions – even if he’d been allowed to speak – on why they did. 

Once he had everything, he headed out, doing his best to remember the different turnings that led back to Kaiser’s control room. He thought he took a couple of wrong turns, but his hair was still kind of damp by the time he found it and entered. 

He faltered a little before crossing in. This was the first time he’d really willingly returned to Kaiser’s side. Every other time he’d been led to wherever Kaiser wanted him to go. But now, with only a bit of hesistance, he crossed over to where the cushion waited and dropped down onto it, head tilted downward. 

It only took a few moments before Kaiser’s hand rested on his head again. Daisuke shivered at the touch but remained aware he wasn’t allowed to move away. 

“You look much better,” Kaiser praised. He moved his fingers until they touched Daisuke’s goggles. “Are you ready to hand those over to me yet?” 

Daisuke tensed at that before he slowly shook his head. Taichi gave those to him. He wasn’t _ever_ going to give those up. 

Kaiser only let out an indulgent chuckle before he reached around to tilt Daisuke’s head up. “I want those bruises to heal. So it’s your responsibility not to make me angry. You understand that, don’t you?” 

_It’s your responsibility not to hit me!_ Daisuke wanted to shriek but here at Kaiser’s feet, the words refused to even shape themselves outside of his mind. He just nodded. 

Kaiser tapped the side of Daisuke’s face. “Answer me with words. I grant permission for that.” He smiled. “And you know how to answer me.” 

Of course he did. Why wouldn’t he? 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama.” Those words still tasted of ice and poison and filth. Daisuke tried to look away, and would have had far better success if Kaiser still didn’t keep a grip on him. 

“I believe I promised to return your collar. That was a lie – almost.” Kaiser smiled that hateful smile of his. “I have a new one for you.” 

He didn’t even allow Daisuke a few seconds of hope. Instead he moved his other hand, revealing the new collar. It looked much like the other, save for the color matching Daisuke’s new clothes. 

“Tilt your head back,” Kaiser ordered, and Daisuke obeyed. Fighting wasn’t going to do him any good. Kaiser slipped the collar around his neck and fastened it securely before taking a long look at it. “It really looks magnificent on you. I don’t think you’ve ever looked better than you do now. Dressed in my clothes, my collar on you, only talking when I allow it.” 

He patted Daisuke’s head. “And now I have a task for you to do. Not until tomorrow; it’s too late now. But keep it in mind. Listen carefully. Do you remember the door that you saw downstairs? The one that you couldn’t get through?” 

Daisuke nodded. There was only one door like that. He wondered what Kaiser had in mind for him now. It couldn’t possibly be good. 

“Tomorrow, after breakfast, I want you to go there and see what’s behind the door. You’re not to touch anything.” He rested one hand on the side of Daisuke’s face, the warmth searing even through his glove. “Remember that. You touch _nothing_ , no matter what you see. If you touch anything, I’ll know, and I won’t be happy.” His fingers now brushed against Daisuke’s bruised features. “I said I want these to heal. I get what I want from you, don’t I?” 

_He wants them to heal. So I can’t make him mad enough to hit me again. If I touch whatever’s there, he’ll hit me._ That seemed pretty simple, even as it burned deep inside of himself. He nodded. He refused to trust that Kaiser allowed him to speak every time. 

But Kaiser tapped his lips now. “When I ask you a question, you’re allowed a proper reply, even when you’re being punished. Speak.” 

Daisuke held back the deepest sigh. Kaiser did not make any of this easy. He thoroughly enjoyed it not being easy. 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama.” It was true. Kaiser did get what he wanted, whether Daisuke liked it or not. He absolutely enjoyed making sure Daisuke didn’t like it. 

Kaiser patted him on the head. Daisuke didn’t want to like it – he never wanted to like anything Kaiser did. That didn’t stop a warm feeling from shimmering inside at the touch. Kaiser wasn’t angry with him. At least not right now. That might change – likely would change – but right now, Kaiser wasn’t angry. 

Daisuke took that to heart. He’d already screwed up in so many other ways and other people were angry because of it, or would be, or should be. But those other people weren’t there. He might never see them again. 

_He’s never going to let me go. The Chosen can’t come and get me and they’d probably want the others first anyway. My parents don’t even know where I am._

He would have to remind himself of this. He knew he would, several times. Because if he didn’t, he’d start hoping, and when nothing came to fulfill that hope... 

_I belong to the Kaiser. Whether I want to or not._

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Breaking Daisuke isn’t that easy. He’s a stubborn guy  & Kaiser knows it. But something is coming~


	16. Chapter 16

**Words:** 28,278/82,250|| **Chapters:** 16/47

* * *

_Much better._ Kaiser settled himself back into his chair and examined the screens before him. He’d been busy on a side project for a while now, taking little nibbles at it whenever he had the spare time. He’d had a bit more of such time before he’d taken on Daisuke, but he didn’t regret the loss. When it came to projects like this, Daisuke certainly was far more engaging. 

He held himself back from touching Daisuke’s slightly damp hair for the moment. It did seem to help him think to a degree, but part of what he wanted to do to Daisuke involved Daisuke not only feeling comfortable with his touch, but seeking it out. With that as his goal, he would bestow it on Daisuke only on specific occasions. 

_I also want him to get rid of those goggles._ But that would come in due time. As long as he held onto them, Daisuke would still believe that the elder Chosen would come for him. Once that belief shattered - and it would – then he would dispose of those. 

He hadn’t decided yet if he would crush the goggles into an unrecognizable mess or if he would simply toss them to the older Chosen, to let them be fully aware that Daisuke belonged to him. He truly loved both thoughts. He would decide once Daisuke stopped fighting him so much. 

_Has he even realized he is fighting me?_ Kaiser suspected he did. Just from the frustration he’d observed in the bathroom, Daisuke still had some resistance bubbling in there. 

This was part of why he set up the next little test: both of them. And only one would Daisuke even realize _was_ a test until he’d passed or failed. 

_He’ll fail. He’s not nearly as far along as I want him to be._ But failing would mean he could take the training to the next level. 

Kaiser smiled at that. That would be a glorious event indeed. 

He caught sight of Daisuke slightly turning his head, the faintest of repulsed looks on his face. He chuckled at that. So Daisuke saw him smile? Good. Let him wonder what pleased his master that much. Let him wonder about what the next day’s test held. 

That test was already set up and would require only minimal effort to set in motion, effort he would exert once Daisuke started towards the locked door in the morning. 

Part of him almost wished that Daisuke would fail this test as well. He had a contingency plan set up in that case already, of course. Given how unpredictable Daisuke tried to be, the only way to counter that was to deal with every eventuality that could be humanly thought of. 

Or perhaps more than humanly. Kaiser had not changed his conviction that he was far more intelligent than all the other humans of Earth combined. Had he not already succeeded in one of his goals, by having Daisuke submissive at his feet? 

And soon he would succeed at another of those. His scans already indicated that another Digimental remained most likely in a particular area. He needed to locate it more precisely, but this was more than he’d had before. 

He picked through his project ideas for a few more minutes, making a few choices and tossing them aside. Nothing quite seemed to fit tonight and it annoyed him more than he cared to admit. 

Daisuke shifted again and Kaiser dropped his gaze down to see him looking at the screens. That was fine; he never kept them on anything he didn’t want Daisuke to know while Daisuke could see them. 

“Do you want to know what I’m doing?” Kaiser asked. He knew Daisuke’s curiosity very well by now. So he wasn’t surprised when the other warily nodded. 

He tapped on the keyboard, showing his search. “This is where I believe another Digimental will be found.” 

Daisuke tensed at that. He clearly hadn’t forgotten their conversation about Digimentals before. Kaiser approved of that. 

“I don’t know which one yet. But I have my slaves searching to locate it.” He leaned down a bit. “And the older Chosen are also searching for it. I really must see about closing the gate so they can’t keep bothering me.” 

Daisuke’s eyes burned with rage and Kaiser reached out a hand to run down Daisuke’s cheek. 

“There’s no need for you to get angry. I think we’ve made it plain they would only seek to rescue everyone else and not you. They know you’re mine now, don’t they?” He smiled. “Say it out loud. Nice and clear.” 

Oh, the anger and hurt and confusion visible in Daisuke’s expressive eyes. Kaiser loved it almost as much as the way Daisuke’s lip quivered before he spoke, dragging the words out of himself. 

“I’m yours, Kaiser-sama,” he murmured, voice a bit dry. Kaiser didn’t approve of that and gestured to Wormmon. It was almost dinner time anyway. He refused to let Daisuke eat any other way than from his hands. 

“You’re learning,” Kaiser praised him. “I don’t think you completely _believe_ you’re mine yet.” He favored Daisuke with a careful look. “But you will. Because it’s true. You’ve been here for some time. Have they made any serious efforts to locate my base and find you?” 

Daisuke clearly thought about it. Kaiser kept the flow of information Daisuke had access to extremely limited, and for just these reasons. When Daisuke knew very little, what he could believe was even less. 

And slowly he shook his head. Kaiser tapped him on the side of his lips again. 

“Speak it. Permission to speak granted until I say otherwise.” 

Kaiser could not argue that he took very thorough pleasure in his absolute domination of Daisuke. Who wouldn’t enjoy it? Such a fiery person, who prided himself on never obeying, being a submissive, obedient, tamed slave? 

“No, Kaiser-sama.” Daisuke murmured after another moment. Kaiser picked up a glass of water as Wormmon brought the tray over, and set it against Daisuke’s lips. 

“Drink,” he ordered. Daisuke obeyed and Kaiser approvingly petted the back of his neck before he started to eat his own dinner. 

He passed a few small bites to Daisuke, enough to spark his appetite and no more, as he worked through his meal. He kept an eye on the screens as well. It wasn’t the usual time of day for the Chosen to prowl around his world, but he wasn’t always ready to trust that. 

_They’ve been making attempts to come in from other places as well._ He’d never pinpointed where their gate opened up in the human world. 

Then he stopped. He’d never thought to ask. So much else seemed far more important, at least until it dawned on him that he had the perfect information source. 

“Tell me, Daisuke,” he said, keeping his voice calm and reasonable. “Where is the Chosen’s gate to the Digital World? Where do _they_ cross over?” 

Daisuke’s eyes widened at that and he tightened his lips, the tiniest shake of his head delivered. Kaiser’s hand rested on the back of his neck. 

“That’s not an optional question. Tell me. Tell me what I want to know before I make someone else pay for your stubbornness. You don’t want that, do you?” 

Kaiser did nothing to hurt Daisuke. He did, after all, want those bruises to heal up. He didn’t think he would need any more object lessons. 

“Odaiba Elementary School, Kaiser-sama. In the computer room.” 

Kaiser brushed his fingers on Daisuke’s neck in praise. “Very good.” He should have guessed as much, given which school Daisuke formerly played for. But he hadn’t paid _that_ much attention in those days. 

What he needed now was a way to seal off their gate. He really did want them to see Daisuke as his adoring, obedient slave, but he could send pictures if he really wanted to. 

It would take more effort than he wanted to give right now as well to seal it. It was dinner time. To further his praise of Daisuke’s obedience, he saved some of his favored dessert. That would do for after he fed Daisuke. 

Daisuke didn’t seem all that happy that he’d told, either, but Kaiser ignored that. Joy in service would come in due time. For now he personally enjoyed feeding Daisuke bit by bit, murmuring words of praise for his obedience, and finally feeding him the dessert when he was done. 

“You see how good it can be when you make me happy?” Kaiser murmured, tilting Daisuke’s head back to gaze into his eyes. Daisuke said nothing and tried so hard to avoid his look. Kaiser allowed that for the moment. “Answer me.” 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama.” Daisuke sounded as if he needed a nap. A very long and deep one. 

Kaiser could arrange that. He released Daisuke’s head and gestured for Wormmon to take the remains of dinner away, before turning back to his keyboard and starting to type up something. 

Daisuke didn’t pay attention to it. He just sat where he was, waiting to be told it was time to go to bed. Kaiser let him ignore things for the moment. 

Being the Digimon Kaiser and as ridiculously intelligent as he was led him to several things he could do in the Digital World. Creating Evil Rings was only the beginning. Now he created something else. 

At his command, a bottle manifested itself near him. Kaiser also manifested a cloth. A bit old-fashioned, perhaps, but certainly usable, and Kaiser thought he’d like to see Daisuke’s reaction to this. He carefully applied some of the drug to the cloth, then cleared his throat. 

“Daisuke. You need to sleep.” 

Daisuke started to get up. Kaiser moved before he could get all the way to his feet, pressing the cloth firmly over Daisuke’s mouth and nose. Daisuke drew in a startled breath, one hand flailing, but settled down almost at once, eyes closing as he breathed in more and more of it. 

In moments he slumped down, completely and soundly asleep. Kaiser watched for a few moments, pleased with himself, before he set bottle and cloth aside and picked Daisuke up to carry him to his bed. 

_He’ll sleep for twelve hours, more or less. And there shouldn’t be any nasty side effects._ He’d carefully programmed his digital drug for that. And he couldn’t at all deny that seeing Daisuke’s confusion and bewilderment before his eyes closed thoroughly pleased him. 

He hoped he wouldn’t have to do this again. But if he did, at least it would be a pleasant sight. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Sorry this is late. Some personal events have made writing anything plotty difficult this week. If all goes well, next week’s chapter should be up on the regular Sunday.


	17. Chapter 17

**Words:** 30,034 /82,850|| **Chapters:** 17/47

* * *

Daisuke wanted a headache. Well, he _kind of_ wanted a headache. He wanted some kind of negative reaction to whatever it was Kaiser dosed him with the night before, just so he wouldn’t feel so rested and relaxed. 

He hated it but that had been the best sleep he’d had since he’d ended up here. Not a single dream disturbed him. He’d closed his eyes almost as soon as Kaiser pressed that cloth to him and when he woke, it was morning. 

Kind of hard to know it was morning until Kaiser opened his door, but morning all the same. 

And now, after another humiliating meal spent kneeling at Kaiser’s feet, he marched his way down to where the captive Digimon were kept: and to where that mysterious door was. 

_Go in there, don’t touch anything, just look._

Daisuke didn’t always understand why Kaiser gave the orders that he did. He knew a lot of it was just to hurt him, to break him into doing whatever Kaiser wanted of him. 

_Pretty sure that’s all of it, really._ Kaiser wanted him obedient. Kaiser would do anything that he thought he had to or just wanted to in order to get that. 

Daisuke really hated to think that Kaiser was _getting_ that. He didn’t fight like he had. He’d never been able to fight the way that he wanted to from the beginning, anyway. Kaiser cut off his ability to resist right at the knees: fight back beyond what Kaiser allowed and his friends would pay for it. His _partner_ would pay for it. 

If it came down to it, no matter what happened between him and them, Daisuke would always trade himself for them. 

_I’m on the outside… or I was._ He hadn’t even thought about that very seriously until recently. Sure, he knew Hikari-chan and Taichi-sempai, but he’d never known either of them all that well. Hikari-chan always kept some things to herself. 

He sort of figured out by now that what she’d kept had been the existence of the Digital World: a secret she shared with Takeru and the other older Chosen. A secret that she’d never shared with him. 

_She didn’t have to. We’re supposed to keep it a secret, right?_

But that gave her other people she could talk to and he hadn’t really been one of them. There had been moments when he’d seen her looking worried about something and when he’d asked what it was, wanting to help her, she’d just smiled and brushed it off. 

Takeru was the same way, sort of. He had people that he could talk to when he wanted to. There were even moments when he looked like his thoughts drifted off into some unknown and fairly painful territory – they’d passed a toy store once and Takeru just _stared_ at a puppet and hurried past, never speaking a word – but he refused to talk about those too. 

If he talked about them to Hikari, Daisuke didn’t know about it. He tried not to think about them spending time around each other when he didn’t know, what they’d probably talk about, how they might laugh… 

_They’re not going to be doing that now._ They were both sealed in amber, locked up somewhere that he couldn’t get to. They wouldn’t talk about anything at all. 

How could they even still be alive? Didn’t insects that fell into amber _die_? Would the Digital World keep them alive like that? What if they could hear and see but they just couldn’t move? 

Daisuke stopped and shuddered at that, scrunching his eyes closed. That wasn’t what he wanted to think about. He’d had a blissfully nightmare-free night. He’d like to keep avoiding having nightmares, even if he currently lived one. 

He forced himself to keep on going. Kaiser wouldn’t like it if he didn’t do what he was told. His bruises were healing and he didn’t want to get any more started. 

Eventually he stood outside of the sealed door. It was bigger than he’d thought it was. He reached out, not seeing a doorknob or anything that could open it, and rested his hand on the cold steel. At first nothing happened, then slowly, ever so slowly, the door began to move upward, sliding into the ceiling. 

He couldn’t see much in the room. Everything was dark and slightly chilly. He stepped inside, arms wrapped around himself, and looked around. His orders were to look at whatever it was and then go back to the Kaiser. No touching. 

_How am I supposed to touch something that I can’t even see?_

He’d taken only a handful of steps into the room before the door slammed down without warning and nine brilliant lights crashed down from above. Each one centered on a certain point and Daisuke’s heart lurched to a stop. 

There they were. Each perched on top of a small dais, their amber coatings fresh and shining. 

Hikari. Takeru. Iori. Miyako. Tailmon. Patamon. Armadimon. Hawkmon. V-mon. 

Daisuke’s feet dragged as he pulled himself closer to Hikari. She looked as if she were running, head turned to one side, one arm raised. Frozen, alive but not moving. 

Not a single thought dared to flit its way through Daisuke’s mind. It was all that he could do to drag himself by each one, staring until he could stare no more, ending with V-mon. 

His partner. His best friend. The one here who knew anything about what happened. 

The others had all been caught by surprise. They’d never known what the Kaiser had in mind. Just between one moment and the next, going from living, breathing people fighting an impossible battle to statues stuck like this forever. 

Daisuke started to reach out. One little touch on the amber that wrapped around Hikari, that was all he wanted. Just wondering, would it be cold? Warm with her life? 

His fingers stopped a heartbeat away from it. 

_I can’t. Kaiser-sama said not to touch them._ Daisuke hadn’t expected for a moment that he would see his friends, especially not this close. Perhaps he might have been shown them on a monitor, but to literally be close enough to touch them? That he’d never considered. 

He didn’t want to but he pulled his hand back and forced it down by his side. He stared instead, drinking in every single sight of them, walking around each one. If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought they weren’t even real, they were just that still and silent. 

They had to be real. He wouldn’t let himself think that they weren’t. 

Because if they weren’t real, then he’d thrown himself into this mess for no reason at all and the Kaiser would be laughing at him, and the Chosen would laugh at him too. 

They were real. 

He resolutely turned away. He needed to go back. He’d accomplished his task and now he threw one last look over his shoulder to where V-mon stood entrapped in amber. 

_Sorry,_ he whispered in the depths of his soul. _I’ll do what I can to get you out of there._

When he looked back toward the door, Kaiser stood there. Daisuke’s breath froze for a heartbeat’s span of time. Kaiser said nothing and did nothing as Daisuke moved forward, each step dragging along. When Daisuke got up to the door, which now stood open, Kaiser turned and walked along. Daisuke followed in miserable silence. 

Kaiser led him all the way back to the control room and settled back in his chair. Daisuke sank back onto his cushion, slumping down onto the floor. It couldn’t yet be mid-morning and already he was exhausted. 

“I’m very proud of you,” Kaiser said at last, his hand fitting on the back of Daisuke’s neck. Daisuke had no strength at all to move. What would it have done? He’d learned the hard way over all the last days that Kaiser would not, could not be denied. “You obeyed my orders flawlessly.” 

Daisuke trembled, gaze remaining directed downward. Pain and tears clawed at him on one side, while on the other, he craved the praise and pride the Kaiser offered him. He’d _done well_. Kaiser was proud of him. It was more than he’d had in so very long. 

“Did you have something to say?” 

_Give him the goggles. You don’t need them anymore and Taichi wouldn’t want you to have them, especially if those aren’t real. And if they are real – and they have to be – you can’t do anything to help him that’s not serve Kaiser. No one can get in here. Even if they could, they would take the Chosen and not you._

Daisuke swallowed. He pressed his lips together, fingers digging into his palms. Then he shook his head. 

_I can’t. I just can’t._

It made sense that he should. He understood that none of the Chosen wanted anything to do with him ever again. Kaiser didn’t have to tell him that. He could guess it pretty clearly. 

But he wasn’t going to give them up. He would keep being brave, no matter what it cost him, from the Kaiser or from anyone else. 

Kaiser petted his head carefully, not disturbing the goggles. Daisuke breathed out, leaning a bit closer to the Kaiser and his gentle hand. He still hurt inside but Kaiser’s praise soothed that, as did the touch that brought no pain. 

Light noise came from the monitors. Daisuke didn’t look up at first, until Kaiser tapped the back of his neck. There on the screens stood Taichi and Yamato, and their partners, carefully making their way through what looked like a portion of a Digital World forest. Yamato had a D-Terminal in his hands, staring down at it with a scowl on his features, while Taichi carried his Digivice, his own expression not much more relaxed than Yamato’s. 

Daisuke dropped his gaze at once. He couldn’t think of two people he wanted to see less at the moment. But Kaiser brought his head up again, with a firm grip on his leash. 

“What if I told you I wanted you to go out there and announce that you surrendered yourself to me? That their siblings are in my keeping and will remain that way unless I choose otherwise?” He leaned down closer. “Would you obey me?” 

Words choked in Daisuke’s throat. Kaiser’s touch remained firm but painless. He wasn’t being forced. He swallowed softly. This was not his favorite answer, but what else could he say? 

“Yes, Kaiser-sama. I would.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Because this is a genfic, this won't ever come up in future chapters, but in case I decide to write a side story or something: Taichi and Yamato _are_ an item in this. There won't be anything between Ken and Daisuke in this story. I am not ruling out side stories or sequels. Any other ships? Don't know yet.


	18. Chapter 18

**Words:** 31,814/82,250|| **Chapters:** 18/47

* * *

Kaiser wondered exactly how far he would set himself back if he audibly cheered Daisuke. Daisuke really wasn’t that stupid – impulsive seemed a far better word in Kaiser’s opinion, and part of what he spent so much time with Daisuke on was getting that aspect of him under control. He wanted Daisuke to think one and only one thing before he did anything: would what he had in mind please his master? 

So far, matters flowed well on that front. Not flawlessly by any means, but he’d made progress. _Daisuke_ made progress. He remained at Kaiser’s feet, a silent submissive presence, eyes half-closed, tense, as if waiting for a single word of command. 

Kaiser relaxed back into his seat, hand resting firmly on Daisuke’s head, considering his options. The second test he’d planned would be set in motion quite soon, within a few minutes. 

_He did obey ever so well,_ Kaiser mused as the fingers of one hand moved over his keyboard, setting up what he needed for the test. It wouldn’t be obvious to other eyes, but to his, it remained clear and obvious. 

Daisuke would fail this test. Kaiser almost regretted it, but it would be necessary for the next step on the plan. 

He pulled his hand away from Daisuke’s head and started typing faster, shifting to another project. He always had so much that he needed to do. When it wasn’t training Daisuke, it was sorting out the details for his future Digimon project. That one he really wanted to take his time on. 

And when it wasn’t that, he scanned for the energies of a Digimental or searched for a way to seal the Digital Gates altogether. He looked forward to that last the most. 

He glanced towards Daisuke for a moment, not surprised to see that his slave remained where he was, arms wrapped around his knees, unmoving. He wouldn’t move until Kaiser gave him an order. 

At least that was what Daisuke _thought_. Kaiser had other thoughts on the subject himself. 

He stood up. Daisuke raised his head, a hint of curiosity in his expression, before he tucked himself back down. Kaiser smiled. Exactly what he’d expected. 

He moved forward, hands now dancing over his keyboard, focusing on the search for the nearest Digimental, the one that he’d picked up on already. He considered for a few moments before he reached into his cape and pulled out what had once been Daisuke’s D-Terminal. 

_I may give this back to him one day. When I can trust him to use it for what I want._

For now, however, he flipped it open and stared inside. He knew the Digimental of Courage resided inside, but he couldn’t yet figure out exactly how. 

A tiny smile touched onto his lips. How better to do this than with the help of the owner? 

“Daisuke. Come here.” 

He’d almost not finished speaking before Daisuke stood next to him. He rewarded Daisuke with a quick pat to the head and made a note to give him a special treat with dinner – assuming he was available to have dinner in the first place. 

“I need access to your Digimental so I can use it to find the others.” He didn’t give any further orders. He held the Digimental towards Daisuke, who stared at it with a mixture of fascination and hunger. 

_He wants it back so badly._ Kaiser smiled briefly before he tendered another look towards Daisuke, eyebrow creeping upward. 

Daisuke breathed a bit harder before he reached out and took the D-Terminal carefully. For a moment he looked as if he might yank it open and try to send an e-mail. Then he flicked open and touched the small sigil that showed the Digimental. 

“I’ve never had to do that before,” Daisuke murmured. “It’s just sort of there when I want to evolve V-mon.” 

Kaiser praised him with another pet to his head. “You’re doing so very well, Daisuke. Do I need to say that I’m proud of you?” 

Daisuke turned his head away. “You’ve said it before.” 

“That I have and it’s true.” Kaiser turned his attention towards the D-Terminal and his keyboard. “You like it. You can’t tell me that you don’t.” He offered a small twitch of his lips. “Of course, you could – but if you did, you would be lying. Are you going to lie to me?” 

He found himself quite pleased to see Daisuke’s shudder at that. Daisuke knew better than to lie to him. 

“No.” Daisuke’s voice didn’t climb very high, but it was very firm. “No, I won’t, Kaiser-sama.” 

Kaiser quite loved how that title sounded on Daisuke’s lips. He smiled before he started to work again, fingers flying over the keyboard. With the Digimental this close, his computer could detect the energies from it and start searching more intently for anywhere else in the Digital World that could match those. 

_I’ll need something I can carry. A portable device._ That was easy enough to figure out. Watching the results showed him what the standard range was. _Can I download it to my Digivice?_

That was an interesting thought. He glanced at Daisuke, who’d stepped back to his cushion as soon as it looked as if Kaiser didn’t need him anymore. Then, with absolute care, he set the D-Terminal and Daisuke’s D-3 onto his seat, and turned his back. 

_Do what I know you will, Motomiya Daisuke._ He kept the laugh he wanted to laugh sealed behind his lips and focused on downloading. 

Kaiser was very good at multi-tasking. Along with this, he kept tracing the movements of the Chosen in the Digital World, recording them to review later, with intent to replay for Daisuke’s sake, sometimes with proper editing – he didn’t need to hear anything about their personal lives and it was annoying enough that Kaiser himself needed to hear that so he could cut it out. Yagami and Ishida were still in the Digital World, roaming in search of something – or someone. 

That was part of what he would have to clip out. He’d worked far too hard for that to be undermined. 

He could hear movement from behind himself. It wasn’t much and it stopped after a few seconds. He tilted his head, catching a glimpse of Daisuke’s reflection in the monitors. Daisuke still knelt by his chair, his hands pressed together, head tucked down, breathing a bit harder. 

_And if I didn’t know better, I would believe he hasn’t moved at all._ Kaiser let himself smirk there. He checked on the download, then shifted over to his efforts on increasing the power of the Evil Rings. That always remained a useful project to deal with. He couldn’t make as much progress as he would have liked, not without someone to test it on, and he looked forward to making up his mind on that soon enough. 

But he could at least make some judgments. He thought this particular method would do well enough to make his Rings more efficient. If not, there were other options. 

Another hint of movement from behind and when he checked this time, he saw Daisuke’s head had risen enough, just enough so Daisuke could see him. Kaiser didn’t change expression by so much as a hair, focusing on his current tasks instead. Everything he did here was to get Daisuke to do what he wanted. 

Again Daisuke ducked his head down and tightened his fingers together, but this time Kaiser saw him cast a brief glance toward the D-Terminal and D-3. Longing was written clearly across his features before he put his head back down. 

Kaiser considered for a few moments, then closed his monitors down – though they were all still working – and stalked out of the room, gesturing as he did. “Stay where you are. I won’t be gone long.” 

He didn’t go far: just to his own quarters. A wave of his hand brought up the image of the command room, Daisuke kneeling on his cushion, the devices still on the chair. 

_If he doesn’t take this opportunity, he’s either more well trained already than I thought he was or an utter idiot._ He didn’t believe Daisuke was an idiot. He did believe Daisuke wanted out of here and would take a chance if it were shoved at him. 

One minute ticked by. Then another. Daisuke didn’t move towards the chair, but he did raise his head and stare toward the door, biting his lip. He shifted a bit, staring again. 

More minutes. Ever so slow. Kaiser smiled. Daisuke now stared at the chair and the treasures visible there, within Daisuke’s reach. 

Keeping his steps as silent as possible, he returned to his command room just in time to see Daisuke reaching out to pick the D-Terminal and D-3 up, pulling them close to himself. Kaiser almost hated to break the look of sheer bliss on his face with a simple clearing of his throat. 

The items clattered to the ground, Daisuke starting to move backward in the same moment. Kaiser moved over and picked them up, putting them back into his inner pockets. He had somewhere else that he wanted to keep them, now that they’d served their purpose. And he had somewhere else to keep Daisuke. 

“I really was so proud of you,” he said. Daisuke did not flinch and that gave him a few more points in Kaiser’s mind. He didn’t want a cowering fool. He wanted every scrap of strength Daisuke had turned to serve him. If he had to break him to do that then he would most certainly do so. 

Daisuke started to move. Kaiser seized him by one arm, twisting it behind him, savoring the startled squeak that fell from Daisuke’s lips. 

“I didn’t want to do this. But there’s really no other choice.” Kaiser let a small sigh of his own slide outward before he yanked Daisuke all the way to his feet and out of the room. Daisuke squirmed and struggled, but Kaiser kept his grip on him, taking a tight hold of the leash as well, using both hands to guide Daisuke to where he wanted to go. 

Doing so also kept air strangled tight in Daisuke’s throat, forcing him to stumble along, no chances to escape or to talk, until Kaiser stopped him outside of the punishment room. 

“You’re going to stay in here until I tell you otherwise,” Kaiser told him. The door slid open and Kaiser forced him in, removing the leash and the collar. “You’ll get these back when I release you.” 

He closed the door in Daisuke’s terrified face and smiled. Everything happened as he planned. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Kaiser planned this almost as long as I did.


	19. Chapter 19

**Words:** 33,625/82,250|| **Chapters:** 19/47

* * *

Daisuke banged against the door, over and over, not caring as his hands grew numb and he stopped being able to really feel his own arms. He didn’t stop until he just couldn’t do it anymore, slumping against the door, and closed his eyes. The darkness meant nothing to him. The silence meant nothing. He was in here. He would be in here until Kaiser-sama changed his mine and he had no idea of when that would be. 

He thought tears burnt their way down his cheeks. He couldn’t see and right now he couldn’t feel them, either. He could barely move his arms and his legs were too tired to move as well. He’d run up and down many sports field and throughout the Digital World and never had his body ached like this. 

_Why? Why did he do this?_ Kaiser-sama _said_ that he was proud of him. That not touching his friends made Kaiser-sama proud of him. So why did touching his D-3 and D-Terminal get him locked up in here? It wasn’t as if he’d done anything else but touch them. 

But Kaiser-sama dragged him here and threw him in and he had no idea of when he would get out of here. 

Daisuke dragged a hand over his face. Rage bubbled under his skin. He’d tried his best for so long. How long had he even been Kaiser-sama’s prisoner? He couldn’t really keep track of it. The days just dragged on too long for him to guess. 

_I’m never going to see home again. Or my family again._ Kaiser-sama made it mind-searingly clear that he’d never be released. That no matter what he did, he would belong to Kaiser-sama forever. 

He would have to deal with kneeling. With begging. With having to obey orders. Even if Kaiser-sama released his friends – and Daisuke couldn’t bring himself to believe that he ever would – then Daisuke would stay with him. He didn’t have any other options. 

The other Chosen – the older Chosen – they wouldn’t care about him anymore. Because of what he’d done, the younger ones were imprisoned now. They would blame him. They _should_ blame him. 

Daisuke didn’t bother closing his eyes for what he thought was a long time. It was dark whether they were open or closed, so it really didn’t matter. He couldn’t think of anything that did matter, at least not that he could do. There would be water here every now and then – he’d have to make sure he found it. Kaiser-sama wouldn’t feed him while he was in here. That was part of his punishment. 

He probably wouldn’t be allowed to sleep, either. Kaiser-sama hadn’t said so this time but being back in her reminded Daisuke far too much of his first trip. No food, little water, no sleep allowed. Now wasn’t likely to be any different. 

_Why should it be? I’m being punished._

He didn’t think he’d done anything to deserve it. He’d taken what was his. He hadn’t tried to do anything at all with them; he’d only held them, remembering once again what everything had been like in a time too close and too far away all at the same time. And the moment that Kaiser-sama saw him, it all fell down around his ears. 

Daisuke could wrap his head around Kaiser’s general cruelty to him. He’d hurt him in the game, made him angry then. Kaiser-sama was more than cruel enough to hurt him long term for that. He thought he would have been more surprised if Kaiser-sama _hadn’t_ wanted to do something so painful to him. 

But this tiny little thing? This should have been something else altogether, something… being hurt. A beating. Missed meals, one or two. Even being locked into his little closet room. 

Why shoved in here? Why locked away from all the light and all the air and the little, absolutely minuscule bits of freedom he could scrape together? 

What did Kaiser-sama want to do to him for something so small? 

Daisuke didn’t know. He wasn’t sure if he could figure it out at all. What he remained certain of was that he _was_ being punished for this and Kaiser-sama didn’t change his mind about that. 

He stared into the darkness, into the emptiness all around him, and wondered if he could manage to drift off. Sleep probably wouldn’t be allowed and he didn’t want to get shocked again, but the more he thought on it, the more he thought about trying. Even if he were broken out of a nap, it might be worth the try after all. 

Maybe. 

Something flickered on the edges of his vision. He wasn’t sure of what it was; whenever he tried to take a better look at it, everything he stared at faded into the shadows. 

_It’s nothing. There’s not going to be anything there._

He still tried to see, because if there was something there, he wanted to see it. He wanted to see something, anything, that was more than the endless wealth of darkness all around him. When Kaiser-sama created a prison meant to deprive one of almost all of their senses, he did it very well. 

No sight. No sounds. He could taste a thin flavor of something metallic but he thought that was more like the air of the Digital World than anything else. He could feel things under him, but there wasn’t much there to feel, only ice-cold metal on all sides and sometimes – if he got lucky – even icier water that also had that edge that only water in this world had. 

_I’m here because I’m a Chosen Child,_ he thought. If he hadn’t been one, then would Kaiser-sama have tried to punish him for what happened on that field? Or would it just have been allowed to slide? That he had no real idea of; no one who wasn’t him had ever done anything like that before anyway. 

If he weren’t a Chosen Child, then the others wouldn’t have been captured. _All my fault._

Daisuke was pretty sure he’d thought that before. It wasn’t wrong if he had. He’d made mistakes. He’d made one really big mistake by getting Kaiser-sama angry at him and all of this came from that. 

Again _sights_ flickered, not really full images, but something he sensed more than saw. Faint images that if he’d been able to see them clearly, he wondered if they’d be people that he knew. The other Chosen. Was that a flash of blond hair? Maybe some brunet? 

Taichi-sempai. Yamato-san. They would loathe him the most for what he’d done. Miyako and Iori, that was… well, not really _different_ but they didn’t have siblings. Takeru and Hikari-chan did. He looked up to Taichi-sempai so much and then he’d gone and failed him. 

_All my fault._ Sure, Kaiser-sama did things, but if he hadn’t made him angry in the first place, then he wouldn’t have done those things. So it circled right back to him. 

He made up his mind. It would take a lot of effort and he wasn’t at all sure if he could do it, but he had to try. He had to do better. He had to _be_ better. 

He couldn’t make Kaiser-sama angry, not ever again. It didn’t matter what happened, he needed to keep one thing in mind: whatever he did couldn’t anger Kaiser-sama. 

_If I don’t know if it’ll make him mad, I can ask. Or just not do it._ That might get him a little in trouble, sort of. But asking would probably work out. He’d never put much effort into wondering how his actions affected other people but now he saw that he didn’t have a choice. Everything he did hurt people and pushed them away from him, made some of them angry at him. 

Kaiser-sama was the one who made him realize this. Kaiser-sama punished him for what he’d done. So if he didn’t want to be punished – and he didn’t, this was so much worse than anything that had ever happened to him before – then he needed to not do things he would be punished for. 

As simple as that sounded, Daisuke knew it wasn’t going to be that way. Kaiser-sama would have to keep training him, disciplining him, and making sure he didn’t make the same mistakes all over again. 

The longer he sat there, the more he became convinced of how right this was. The Chosen certainly weren’t going to help him learn how to make sure he didn’t hurt other people. 

_I hurt other people._ He hated to think about that but it was true. It hurt that it was true. 

More of those images – if they really were images and not just something the back of his mind made up to look at for lack of anything else to do – flickered and floated just where he could barely grasp their possible existence. Just little tiny darts that refused to be focused on but which stirred up thoughts of the other Chosen, the ones both kept captive and the ones that could be kept out of the Digital World if the gate ever ended up being closed. 

_If it is, then there’s nothing I can do._ He knelt at Kaiser-sama’s feet. It was what he did. He did what he was told and _only_ what he was told. Doing otherwise would hurt someone: sometimes himself and sometimes someone else. 

Daisuke didn’t care if he were hurt. He could take it. He didn’t like it but he could deal with everything, just like he had with everything Kaiser-sama did to him. And if him being hurt meant that other people weren’t – that the Chosen weren’t – then that was all right by him. Better him than someone who couldn’t take it. 

In a room of dark shadows and absolute silence, with no sleep allowed and just enough water to keep him going, Daisuke curled himself up and waited for his punishment to be over with. Images that hovered on the edge of sight danced around the walls, whether or not Daisuke could properly see them. 

Any time he started to drift off into weary slumber, he jerked himself awake, staring upwards, waiting for the moment when he would hear water and hopefully be allowed to drink. Sometimes, as the long hours ticked by, he thought that he heard other sounds that weren’t the few drippings. Those had to be as much his imagination as the faint images that weren’t actually there. 

If they weren’t, he wondered if they were sounds of battle, if the Chosen had somehow found their way here. He hoped not. They wouldn’t be able to evolve here, and Kaiser-sama had a great many Digimon as his slaves. The thought of that gave him a great many reasons not to try to sleep for hours on end. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Hm. Daisuke sees and hears very faint things, when he’s in a place supposedly sealed against sight and sound. Whatever could this mean?


	20. Chapter 20

**Words:** 35,030/82,250|| **Chapters:** 20/47

* * *

Kaiser didn’t exactly squeal with delight as he observed Daisuke. But by no means did he not _want_ to. He fought back his pleasure and focused on what mattered: the programming. 

His fingers danced over the screens and his keyboards, setting up everything he’d planned. He’d already made a small start in Daisuke’s bedroom, soft images below the actual realm of sight and whispers that couldn’t be heard clearly. He couldn’t be certain as of yet if they affected Daisuke, but if all went the way that he hoped it would, he’d created fertile ground for this step. 

The difference here was that Daisuke wouldn’t be sleeping for loosely forty-eight hours. Exactly how that would affect matters, Kaiser wasn’t certain. He’d done research into conditioning and such matters, and he knew he’d made great strides with Daisuke already. Now he needed more. 

He reviewed the images that Daisuke would be bombarded by – whether he realized it or not. Images of the Chosen, older and younger alike, every moment that they’d ever done anything that Kaiser could twist and mangle to his liking. 

_It would have been so much easier if they did insult him more._ As hard as he’d searched, finding images of them genuinely hurting Daisuke was all but impossible. The moments with Ishida Yamato at least remained interesting to consider. But for the others… 

For the others, Kaiser had to be creative. He didn’t find that difficult at all. All of his towers recorded everything within a certain distance of them, transmitting it back to his base. He’d spent quite a bit of time creating what he wanted Daisuke to see and hear. 

_There. Let’s see how this batch is._

The scene unfolded on his monitor; to the viewing eye it remained simply Ishida and Yagami walking together, looking around cautiously. Their partners remained with them, and Kaiser had to hold himself back from adding Evil Rings to the scene. It had to be something that Daisuke would believe. 

Now, the conversation. Originally something innocuous, by their standards, discussing their current mission. Kaiser erased all of that and rewrote it to his liking, copying their voices flawlessly. 

“Is there an actual _reason_ that we’re looking for him?” Ishida groaned, head tilted back to observe the sky. “I had practice this weekend.” 

“I know. But we sort of have to find him. You know how strong his partner is. If we don’t get V-mon back, who knows what the Kaiser’s going to be up to.” 

The Kaiser smiled at that. He rather enjoyed having other people sing his proper praises. He’d grown quite tired of it in the human world, because they never feared him, treating him like little more than an attractive toy. Here they knew him for what he was, even if he had to put the words into their own mouths. 

Again Ishida sighed, shoulders slumping, muttering something that no one would be able to hear without being as close to him as Yagami was. Watching his lips would give little indication, but whatever it was, Yagami laughed at him, then pressed one hand on his shoulder. 

They’d done something else there, but Kaiser made a point to cut that out. It wasn’t that he cared, but he didn’t want to give Daisuke anything that resembled hope, at least not from them. Motomiya Daisuke’s hope would come from somewhere else altogether. 

He observed the rest of the scene; both Yagami and Ishida muttered insults about Daisuke, things they planned to do if they found him, and other odds and ends, including a few poisonous words about Daisuke’s sister and what she’d been up to lately. 

_I’ll need to make something for them as well. If he knows there’s nowhere else for him to go, then he’ll be mine. The only person who will ever want him or have anything to do with him is **me**._

Kaiser leaned back in his chair, considering what else he could do. He had plans for another set of scenes, but those he chose to delay until the second day. Today would be for crafting scenes of the Chosen and the way that he wanted them to react to Daisuke. 

Again his fingers danced, sending that particular image off so it would repeat endlessly in the walls of the imprisonment room, a flitter of vague colors and whispered words that would repeat until Kaiser determined otherwise. Then he got to work on a second set of images, this one set before he’d taken Daisuke for his own, showing Yagami Hikari and Inoue Miyako chatting while Daisuke, Takaishi, and Hida worked on destroying one of his towers. 

Just like with the elder Yagami and Ishida, Kaiser hadn’t had to do anything other than rewrite their dialogue to something he preferred. He thought they’d been discussing where Inoue’s family worked or something like that. He’d only listened to it once, enough to get the feel of how they spoke so what he replaced it with would sound natural. 

“Did you want to come over this weekend? The guys already said they would.” Inoue said, before she gestured toward the others. Kaiser nudged it ever so gently so the motion looked as if she were indicating Daisuke in particular. “Well, I didn’t tell _him_.” 

“That’s all right. There wouldn’t be enough room, would there?” Yagami asked, head tilted to the side. Inoue nodded at once, a happy smile blossoming over her features. 

“Everyone else is going to be gone so it’s just going to be us. If you’re coming, I mean.” 

“Sure! I’m looking forward to it.” 

Kaiser ended it there; their chattering had gone on for a bit longer, but he didn’t want to spin it out too far. This sort of effort required a light touch to have it work properly. 

He created a few more; one with Hida and Takaishi chatting about how Daisuke always jumped head and didn’t think too much about what he was doing, and then another with the two Yagamis and how the elder had considered passing his goggles to his sister, but he hadn’t known at the time she’d claim a Digimental and be able to continue fighting. 

_Daisuke will give up those goggles. Whether he believes it or not._ Kaiser smiled, looking forward to that moment when he’d feel the weight of them in his hands. 

_Once he had those scenes set up and filtering into the punishment room’s walls, soft whispers echoing at a level too low for Daisuke to hear but enough so the meaning sank into him regardless, Kaiser moved on to the next phase of his plan._

_This required even more care than the first set of images. He wasn’t going to implant Daisuke with the idea that he was _genuinely_ kind. Kaiser knew himself and he knew that he would have to be hard on Daisuke still in the days to come. What he wanted was Daisuke to believe that he _deserved_ whatever punishments came in the future, that Kaiser would only do this if Daisuke truly _earned_ a punishment. _

_Which was the absolute truth, of course. He just didn’t want to give Daisuke the idea that Kaiser was soft or kind or gentle in any way. He would be exactly what Daisuke needed to improve until he was exactly what Kaiser wanted him to be._

_So now he carefully wove scenes that reminded Daisuke of every punishment that he’d had that he’d deserved – which were all of them, of course – and of the times when Kaiser praised him, when he’d done something that pleased his master._

__Whenever you do something that I want you to do, you’ll be rewarded. Only I can reward or punish you. No one else cares. No one else wants you for **you** , only for your partner’s sake._ _

_He whispered the words into the scene, letting them build, letting them repeat ceaselessly, and set them also into the walls of the punishment room. They would shift and exchange with the original set with the Chosen, shifting the way Daisuke thought and felt as the hours passed._

_Time for a check. He watched the surveillance feed carefully. Daisuke leaned against the wall, eyes half-closed. He wasn’t actually asleep, but trying to at least rest some. Kaiser allowed that; it would make what the images showed sink that much more deeply into him. A few drops of moisture around his lips showed that he’d drunk recently. No food, of course. That was another point Daisuke would need reinforced: that his food always and eternally came from Kaiser’s hands and no one else’s._

_He considered for a few more moments. He wanted Daisuke to depend on him for everything. That would require a bit of a change for something. But that Daisuke would learn once he got out of the punishment room. Daisuke would probably dislike it, but that was another lesson that he needed to learn: that just because he didn’t like something didn’t mean that it wasn’t right for him. That Kaiser was always right, that his _master_ was always right. _

_A faint smirk flickered over Kaiser’s lips as another idea occurred. He began to add something else to the room, something that would appeal to his own twisted sense of humor. A faint scent, nothing more, but the scent of meals well prepared, that he knew Daisuke enjoyed. A scent so faint that it could be ignored – if one weren’t as hungry as he knew Daisuke would be, if Daisuke weren’t used to _not_ smelling anything in his punishment room. _

_He leaned back, contemplating what else he could do that wasn’t toying with Daisuke to some extent. Most of his goals could only be accomplished now with rigorous repeating and the passage of time. Which left him with little to do, at least at this point. Building Evil Towers didn’t take that much effort any more, and it wasn’t nearly as interesting to deal with whatever Digimon were in the area. Not when he could dissect Daisuke’s psyche and rewire it to make it far more pleasing to him._

_But he did need to get more areas taken over and more slaves claimed. Those Chosen who could still fight him remained a small thorn in his side and they were searching for more Digimentals even as he was. The more that he searched, the better chances he had to locate what he was looking for._

_And once he found what he was looking for, and once he had Daisuke irrevocably under his thumb, then this world would crumble before him._

* * *

_  
_

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Ah, Ken. Doing the evil. Much evil to come, too.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter:** Twenty-one|| **Words:** 36,784

* * *

Daisuke tried hard not to tremble. It wasn’t cold in The Room but he _was_ hungry and he hadn’t bothered that much with drinking, at least not until his throat burned. He’d wondered at some points if Kaiser-sama decided not to give him water this time. But it came and he let a little trickle down his throat, and his stomach growled and grumbled. 

_It’s your own stupid fault,_ he told himself. _Don’t ever forget that._

So, he’d already decided how he would deal with this. After the endless time in the dark, it wasn’t that hard. He had to do whatever Kaiser-sama wanted. Nothing more and nothing less. 

The door opened. His breath caught in his lungs. He didn’t dare move, not yet. He hadn’t been told. He hadn’t been _ordered_. If he wasn’t ordered, then acting was disobeying, and he would never, ever disobey his master again. 

“Come here.” Kaiser-sama spoke and Daisuke moved forward, one hand raising to cover his eyes as he did. He remembered how bright it could be out there and it would take so long for his eyes to adjust again. 

The moment that he stepped out of The Room, he dropped down to his knees, humbling himself before Kaiser-sama. He said nothing at all. He hadn’t been asked a question. He should be quiet. 

Kaiser-sama’s hand brushed against the side of his face. Daisuke shivered at the touch and his head leaned automatically toward it, wanting more of that contact, of being aware that he wasn’t the only person that existed. 

“Are you going to disobey me, Daisuke?” 

He swallowed, his voice still scratchy when he tried to speak. He wasn’t sure if he could even make words, so he tried to settle for shaking his head. Kaiser-sama brushed his cheek again. 

“You’re my slave, Daisuke. You’ll speak when I want you to. And I want you to now. Answer me. With your voice.” Kaiser-sama’s voice was firm and unyielding and Daisuke didn’t even consider arguing. 

“I won’t disobey you, Kaiser-sama.” He had to strain to make the words, but bit by bit they emerged. Kaiser-sama petted him again and Daisuke shuddered, hardly able to comprehend his master being that pleased with him. 

“I’ll trust you for now. You don’t want to make me angry, do you?” 

Kaiser-sama being angry meant that he would _hurt_ Daisuke and Daisuke refused to be hurt ever again, not when he could make sure it didn’t happen. He swallowed, shook his head, and stared down. 

“No, Kaiser-sama. I don’t.” All of that was behind him now. His new life stretched ahead, doing whatever he needed to do in order to please his master. No looking back, not now and not ever. 

Kaiser-sama’s hand slipped under his chin and tilted his head up. Daisuke quivered at the touch, craving more of it and not wanting to beg, Kaiser-sama would decide when or if he were touched at all. 

The familiar press of his collar came against his skin, butter-soft leather that pressed against him. It didn’t feel quite the same, and Daisuke wasn’t certain of why. He could check it out some other time. He just waited to see what Kaiser-sama would order him to do. 

“Come along,” Kaiser-sama ordered, and Daisuke followed at once, glad for the presence of the leash to guide him. He knew this area of the fortress well enough that after a few moments he could figure out where they were going: the Kaiser’s personal quarters. Once in there, Kaiser led him to the bathing area. He could hear the sound of water bubbling softly and the faint scent of soap. 

A bath. Kaiser-sama would allow him to bathe. Daisuke thought he would serve him for that alone right now. But he still didn’t move, not even as Kaiser-sama came closer, firm steps echoing around. 

“Get yourself clean. There are clothes here.” Kaiser-sama took Daisuke’s hand and guided him to a corner of the bathing area. He couldn’t tell what they looked like, but they felt like the ones he’d put on before, the ones Kaiser-sama provided for him. “I’ll know when you’re done. When you are, it will be time to eat.” 

There was a sense of waiting and Daisuke filled it as best he could. “Yes, master. Thank you, master.” A hot bath and dinner, right after being freed from his punishment? Daisuke could hardly wrap his head around this. 

Kaiser-sama honored him with another pet to his head, then headed out of the room. Daisuke hardly waited for him to be gone before he hurriedly stripped out of his clothes and made his way carefully to the tub. He kept his eyes closed firmly, hands reaching out to find the soap and clothes, scrubbing himself as roughly as possible. 

_I didn’t earn this. He’s only doing it because he’s taking care of me,_ Daisuke reminded himself. He’d been disobedient enough to earn a punishment of that caliber – even if he didn’t think he’d been that bad, _Kaiser-sama_ believed he had been, and that was all that mattered. But if Kaiser-sama wanted to feed and clean him and make sure he had clean, warm clothes, then Daisuke wasn’t going to argue. 

Kaiser-sama owned him. This couldn’t be changed. It _wouldn’t_ be changed. So even if he did want to argue, it wouldn’t have done any good. 

Was Kaiser-sama watching him? Daisuke wouldn’t have been surprised. He needed to be watched. So Daisuke worked hard to get himself as clean as he could as quickly as he could. Every action he took, he wanted Kaiser-sama to be pleased with. 

Soon enough he’d finished, even taking his goggles off and washing his hair. He looked down towards them – not at them, his eyes still couldn’t stand the light, but he held them in his hands and tried to make a decision. He didn’t think he was all that good at it – look at all the decisions that he’d made so far and how they’d collapsed into a heap of ruin. 

These goggles belonged to someone like Yagami Taichi. To someone that Daisuke had been but wasn’t anymore. He carefully set them to one side and finished up getting clean and changing, taking every step carefully before he made it, trying his level best not to stumble over the leash. He rather missed Kaiser-sama not being at the other end. He could always use the help to get where he was going. 

Gloved hands closed on his shoulders and Daisuke froze at once. He recognized the hands, of course. He’d never not recognize them, not after all the pain they’d inflicted on him since his arrival there. 

“Kaiser-sama?” Daisuke murmured the word, wondering if his master wanted him to kneel. Kaiser-sama wrapped one hand around the leash. 

“Did you want to give me those, Daisuke?” He murmured, voice so confident, completely aware of how powerful he was. 

Daisuke tilted his head downward. They weren’t his anymore. He couldn’t have said who they belonged to. But he swallowed and held them up. “Yes, master.” 

Kaiser-sama took them in one hand. “You’ll never have to worry about these again,” he promised. Daisuke couldn’t see where he put them, but he didn’t think it mattered. If he needed something, Kaiser-sama would provide. So if he didn’t have it, then he didn’t need it. “Let’s go.” 

Now he guided Daisuke out again, this time taking him to the control room. There Daisuke’s cushion awaited him and at the half-seen gesture and murmured word, Daisuke sank down on his knees there, breathing ever so softly as he resumed the place that he’d missed more than he’d realized until he had it again. 

With his eyes closed, Daisuke had to rely on his ears and nose to tell him what was going on around him. He could hear the roll of a wheeled table and the strong scent of a lovely cooked meal. His stomach rumbled in demand for food and he shivered, breathing a touch harder, before Kaiser-sama’s fingers touched the back of his neck in a familiar gesture. 

He turned his head up and a spoonful of hot soup brushed his lips. He opened his mouth at once, taking in the soup, and thoroughly enjoying it. Spoonful by spoonful Kaiser-sama fed him, adding in small bits of fruits and vegetables, followed by tiny sips of hot tea. All of it was delicious, better food than he’d had when he lived with his parents. 

When he finished it all, Daisuke was more than ready for a rest of some kind. He didn’t know what time it was, only that after everything, he wasn’t really good at thinking, let alone working. He would if his master ordered – obedience remained key – but he hoped Kaiser-sama wouldn’t. 

But Kaiser-sama gave him no orders. Instead, he seemed to turn his attention more to his screens. At first Daisuke wasn’t sure of what was on them – he refused to open his eyes if he didn’t have to – but the words slowly trickled into him. 

_Have I heard that before?_ It sounded like Taichi-sempai and Ishida-san talking, and they were talking about him. They didn’t sound all that happy abut it, either. Most of what he could hear made him wince and keep his head bent downward. 

Kaiser-sama’s hand came to his neck again, that far too comforting feeling. “You don’t have to worry about them. I won’t allow them to hurt you. What you did, you did to save their siblings, and if they can’t respect that, then what use do you have for them?” 

Daisuke hadn’t ever thought about it that way. He’d mostly thought they should be angry at him for being responsible for everyone else being captured in the first place. He thought he might have been mad at himself, at least for a little while. He’d been too busy being mad at Kaiser-sama, though. 

Only that wasn’t right now. That wasn’t even close to what he was allowed. So he bent his head under Kaiser-sama’s touch. 

“I don’t have any, Kaiser-sama,” he murmured. “I’ll never see them again. Any of them.” Even the ones sealed in amber. 

“Unless I want you to. And I just might. I want them to stop trying to look for you. You’re not one of _them_ anymore. You’re mine now.” 

Even if he’d had the words for it, Daisuke wouldn’t have argued that. He knew far too well what arguing got him and he wanted nothing more of that. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** So, looks like the Kaiser has a nice obedient Daisuke. And I still have twenty-six chapters to go.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter:** Twenty-two|| **Words:** 38,542

* * *

Kaiser didn’t think that he’d ever been more pleased in his entire life. Everything at this moment flowed exactly the way that he wanted it to. He’d avenged the slight to his pride – several times over, if truth were to be told – and in doing so he’d utterly crushed Motomiya Daisuke. 

Just casting his gaze downward brought the other into view. Daisuke remained on his knees on the cushion, his eyes closed still to block even the dim light of the control room, wrapped in the clothes Kaiser provided for him, breathing in and out, paying no attention to anything except the inside of his own thoughts – if he had any of those – and to Kaiser’s presence. 

Just to test that, Kaiser moved one hand nearer to Daisuke’s shoulder. At once the redhead tensed a fraction. It didn’t seem a _wary_ tension, not as if he feared a reprimand, but almost anticipation and watchfulness. He didn’t open his eyes of course – after two days of solid darkness, it would take time for him to adjust to having proper sight again. But Kaiser knew without a doubt that Daisuke remained fully and totally aware of him. 

He brushed his fingers against Daisuke for a moment, rewarding the reaction. He’d gone to such an effort to ensure that his slave welcomed his touch and feared it at the same time. Welcomed his praise – would do anything for it – and feared his wrath. 

Daisuke breathed out quietly at the touch, the tension fading away as he leaned into the movement. He started to open his eyes, Kaiser finding himself quite pleased to see how submissive and focused on him they were. He’d never dreamed that owning someone else could be such a thrill. 

“Is there anything you need, master?” Daisuke murmured, his voice just barely audible, as opposed to the loud shriek he had used once upon a time. 

Kaiser hadn’t insisted on that. He wondered if it involved Daisuke’s fear of him, or attempts to please him. He would investigate that later. 

“Not at the moment,” he answered. “But I do have something for us to do later.” 

Daisuke tilted his head to one side, flickers of curiosity in the depths of his eyes. They were somewhat pretty eyes, Kaiser noted, the more so because of their boundless devotion to him. 

“What sort of something, master?” Daisuke hesitate for a few seconds before he tacked on, “If I should know.” 

Kaiser smiled. So very different from the fiery, defiant, brash little brat he’d fought only a few scant weeks earlier. He would almost have thought they were different people. 

But for now, he pressed his hand against to Daisuke’s shoulder. “I intend to take a village of Candmon. You will be going with me and you will assist.” Candmon weren’t very useful in and of themselves. But he quite looked forward to seeing how Daisuke did something that wasn’t the relatively mundane chores around the fortress. 

Daisuke tensed again, but bent his head submissively. Kaiser smiled; Daisuke wouldn’t like what his orders were, but he would obey them. He knew the consequences of disobedience very well. 

He said nothing out loud, though, and Kaiser approved of that. He returned his gaze to the monitors. The Chosen were getting closer to locating the Digimental that he’d deemed nearest to his territory and he quite anticipated seeing how matters unfolded _there_. 

“When are we going there, master?” Daisuke murmured. Kaiser wondered what sort of answer he would want, though it didn’t make a great deal of difference. He’d already made up his mind. 

“This afternoon. Today is Tuesday – the Chosen may decide to show up to interfere in my work.” Again Kaiser brushed his fingers over Daisuke’s shoulder, reminding him of the pleasures of approval. “What will you do if you see them?” 

Daisuke raised his head and opened his eyes again. Kaiser just smiled down at him, enjoying the brief hints of confusion for those few moments. “What could I do, master?” A flicker of thoughtfulness that actually surprised Kaiser. “Do you want me to … be your bodyguard?” 

Kaiser wondered if that could be done. Could he train Daisuke for that? He didn’t need one, but it might be useful. 

“We may arrange for that,” Kaiser granted, “but this time, it won’t be necessary. If the Chosen attempt to interfere – and they can’t do much, can they? - then you stay at my side. Whatever they say, whatever they do, it means nothing to you.” 

Daisuke nodded fiercely at that. “Right, master!” 

Kaiser brushed one more reassuring touch before he returned his attention to the screens. He could not help but linger ever so briefly on Daisuke’s reactions, though. He might not enjoy the idea of crushing an entire village under the Kaiser’s heel but when it came to those who’d been his friends once, _that_ he looked forward to once he knew the answer. 

He made his arrangements for the assault. There really wasn’t much of a chance of the Chosen appearing today. He’d picked his time carefully. They might show up in time for the aftermath but no more. 

Kaiser reviewed the intelligence his spies – such as they were – gathered on that particular village, quite pleased. Those spies might not have much in the way of intelligence but when it came to reporting exactly what they saw, they were unmatched. 

* * *

If it weren’t for Wormmon, there were times when Kaiser might well have neglected to eat at all. There were quite a few times when even with Wormmon’s presence and gentle insistence that he hadn’t bothered. 

Daisuke’s presence changed that. Among other things, Kaiser learned that he enjoyed feeding Daisuke bit by bit, thrilled to see Daisuke so obedient and submissive. Being on his knees suited Daisuke, in Kaiser’s opinion, more than any other position. 

One day he might spare the time to learn what Daisuke actually liked and wanted to eat, instead of just giving him whatever Kaiser wanted him to have. Granted, everything served to Kaiser, and thus to Daisuke, was of the highest quality, but everyone had favorites. Learning Daisuke’s would bring another level to that wonderful sense of control. 

He added a few touches of praise to his feeding and was pleasingly rewarded by Daisuke’s body language all but screaming in delight at such. He made a note; depriving Daisuke of any _good_ touch until he’d earned it properly had very good rewards. 

_And whatever will the Chosen think of him when they see him again?_ Oh, he could hardly wait for that. But he would have to. He had to put Daisuke through a few more tests before that glorious day arrived. 

He made a mental list of everything he wanted to accomplish now that he’d cleared off the option of ‘make Daisuke into my obedient slave’. He’d made progress already on locating the Digimentals and there were battalions of his troops in the vicinity of each one that he’d located. He didn’t bother trying to take them – he’d learned that only a particular ‘chosen one’ could activate their power and none of his Digimon slaves or he himself could manage that. 

Which meant that the most practical method to dealing with those items would simply be to ensure that the Chosen never got their hands on them in the first place. 

That led to his next point of duty: the creation and testing of the Evil Spiral. That had been delayed somewhat by dealing with Daisuke, though he'd put in some time on the project when it offered itself. The whole situation with Andromon made it plain he would need some way to control Perfect level Digimon. There really weren’t a great many of those but the ones that did exist would be very useful to him, especially if he could arrange the programming so they retained their intelligence to go along with their obedience. 

_I wonder if I could do that with Daisuke as well._ Rings and Spirals weren’t necessary for him. He’d learned his place through terror and pain. But the idea of many servants who put all of their resources to use serving him – Kaiser so looked forward to that. 

He would have to start with the obedience factor, however. He could deal with intelligence later. 

Those would do for his projects for the moment. There were others he wished to deal with eventually but they would have to wait for now. 

* * *

Finally the hour struck. He’d kept himself occupied since noon with having his forces encircle the village, infiltrating every area until there wasn’t anywhere that any of the Candmon could go without being located. His troops would gather them up and then he would see to the Ringing. 

At least most of it. Candmon were the vast majority of the Digimon living there but Candmon evolved into other Digimon and not all of those Digimon took off to live in other places once they weren’t Candmon anymore. 

Kaiser wasn’t entirely certain if he liked the idea of entire villages made up of one type of being. It seemed a little odd to him. Though the very concept that there could be anyone close to being like him rang as far more than just _Odd_. 

But at the moment, it meant he knew how to deal with the Candmon and the more evolved forms. And one of those more evolved in particular… 

“Let’s go.” Kaiser ordered, seizing Daisuke’s leash and taking brisk strides out. Daisuke hurried after him, saying nothing but keeping up. That was good; Kaiser didn’t want to be held back. So far as he’d measured, the Chosen wouldn’t be able to do anything but mop up whatever he left behind, but he wanted to make certain that they didn’t interfere sooner than he’d planned. They weren’t as unpredictable as they’d been with Daisuke, but he hadn’t gotten this far by not making at least some plans. 

One of his AirDramon awaited them at the exit, as did Wormmon. His pathetic ‘partner’ shrunk down when he saw Kaiser, eyes darting over to Daisuke, but he said nothing at all. That was just the way that Kaiser liked it. Perhaps one day he would rescind the order that the two not speak to one another but that would not be for some time. 

He leaped up onto AirDramon, Daisuke scrambling after him, and turned his attention to the wide vista visible through the bay doors. _All mine,_ he purred to himself before he raised his head. 

“Go.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Sorry I’m late. Some personal issues struck. And in happier news, Kingdom Hearts 3 will be taking at least some of my time for a while. I will still strive for weekly updates, though.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter:** Twenty-three|| **Words:** 40,302

* * *

_How long has it been since I was outside?_ Daisuke knew and didn’t know the answer. He knew that the last time had been when his Master first brought him to the fortress. He didn’t have any real idea of how long in the sense of days or weeks it had been. Everything blended together, coated over with a thick plating of fear, darkness, and unwelcome realization that came one after the other. 

When he’d entered the fortress, he’d been so different. He’d not really understood that the others didn’t actually like him. He’d sort of wondered – he’d not really believed, but he’d _wondered_ \- and he’d been absolutely convinced that everything Master did was wrong. 

_I still don’t like him taking over the Digital World._ He knew that he wasn’t going to stop him, though. He _couldn’t_ , no matter how much he might want to. Master told him what to do and he did it. 

And that would, today, include helping him. Putting Rings on those Digimon that Master wanted. 

Daisuke shivered and he wasn’t certain if that had anything to do with being so far up in the chilly Digital World air or because of the thought of putting Rings on innocent Digimon – the Digimon who weeks earlier trusted him to protect them. 

He didn’t bother looking up at his Master. He knew what Master would look like – impassively staring off into the distance, having already told AirDramon where to go. Wormmon cuddled near Master’s feet, within Daisuke’s sight, but they didn’t look at each other. That was one order that remained seared into his mind, that he wasn’t to have anything to do with Wormmon. 

_He reminds me of V-mon._ That dug another small blade of heartache into him. The last sight he’d really have of V-mon being _V-mon_ , of him flying through the air, tossed by the Kai – by Master. Before he’d been Daisuke’s master. 

He tightened his lips and turned his thoughts away. He had to be _good_. He had to obey and please his Master. He wasn’t going to let himself be distracted by any thoughts that didn’t involve his Master being pleased and proud of him. 

Daisuke reminded himself of that as they soared onward. It kept him occupied until AirDramon tilted down and he caught sight of a village tucked up against a thick forest. It didn’t quite look like the sort of place that Candmon would find attractive. Not that he knew a lot about Candmon anyway, but weren’t they related to Meramon? 

He waited. He didn’t ask questions; if he needed to know, then his Master would let him know. 

“The village I plan to strike is farther along,” Master said as they dipped more. “But I see no reason not to take this one as well.” 

Daisuke peeked up in time to see a slash of a smirk across his Master’s face, one that told him Master remained pleased. That was good. A pleased Master meant he wasn’t going to be hurt. 

He wondered what kind of Digimon lived here and found himself answered not that much later, when a deep voice shouted, “ _Heavy Attack_!” 

He couldn’t see what it was at first. Only a large shadowy shape leaped towards them. Kaiser didn’t so much as flinch, but tapped one foot on AirDramon so that their steed diverted away from it. Daisuke tensed; he trusted his Master to be able to protect himself, but right now he didn’t have V-mon and he worried about what could happen. 

AirDramon shifted again and now Daisuke saw what attacked them: a large creature about the size of a tall tree, with muscles packed on muscles twice over, spreading sharp horns, and what looked like a mechanical arm of some sort. Furious red eyes glared right at Master, who didn’t look remotely impressed. 

“What do you think you’re doing here, Digimon Kaiser?” It snarled, voice low and fierce and furious. “You won’t take our village!” 

Master chuckled and Daisuke looked up to see an Evil Ring appear between his fingers. “Would you care to make a wager on that, Minotaurmon? I can bring in my forces and have this place leveled to the ground in half an hour if I wanted.” He tilted his head, giving Minotaurmon a careful look. “But I think I have a better idea. All of you are extremely strong. I can use that strength. This area is now mine, which means all of you are mine.” 

Minotaurmon shook his head, pawing at the ground with one heavy hoof. “No! We won’t allow it!” 

“No one asked what you wanted.” Master didn’t bother with any more words, but flicked the Evil Ring towards Minotaurmon. In a heartbeat it wrapped firmly around the arm that wasn’t mechanical and Minotaurmon threw his head back, a sound sort of like a mix between a howl of rage and a bellow of terror bursting forth. Master watched, his lips quirked upward into a little smile, until Minotaurmon’s eyes glowed red a few seconds later, and he dropped down on one knee before the Master. 

“See how easy it is?” Master said, turning his attention towards Daisuke. Daisuke swallowed and nodded. It did look easy. Not something that he wanted to do at all, but easy to be done. 

Master tapped on AirDramon, ordering Minotaurmon to follow as they swept into the village. The closer they got, the more Minotaurmon fled from them, and the more Master filled the air with his Evil Rings, each one clamping onto a target with little more than a gesture of the Master’s hand or head. 

“Now.” Master tapped Daisuke on the shoulder and Daisuke saw a Ring being held out to him. “Take this. There.” He gestured to one of the last Minotaurmon left. “Do it.” His eyes narrowed. “ _Don’t_ fail me.” 

Daisuke flinched at that, shaking his head, and stared at the indicated Minotaurmon. Every part of his heart screamed not to do this at all, as did his soul. His head remained distant and firm: he obeyed his Master and his Master had given him an order. Failing was _not_ an option. 

He recalled how Master had done it, then flicked his hand out, the Ring soaring. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to have happen. He suspected that whatever did happen, he wouldn’t like it either way. 

The Ring clamped around the Minotaurmon’s wrist, bringing him to a quick and painful halt. Slowly he turned around and Daisuke could see those bright red eyes as he began to return. 

Master rested his hand on Daisuke’s shoulder. Daisuke shivered, just as much from the touch as from what he’d just done. He couldn’t have felt any less like a Chosen Child if he’d actually set out to do that on purpose. If he’d _chosen_ to do it. 

“Very good,” Master murmured. “If you continue to do this well when we reach the Candmon village, I’ll reward you when we get back home.” His hand sunk deeply into Daisuke’s hair and Daisuke leaned closer to the touch. He’d never had any idea of how good it could feel to _be_ touched until Master used it to reward him when he’d earned it. Now he craved it more than anything except maybe food and drink – and he wasn’t all that sure about that. 

He knew he couldn’t survive without eating or drinking, but that was different. That gentle reward made everything he did worth it, because he knew how easily Master could change the touch to one of firm discipline or nightmarish punishment. 

Daisuke scrambled for words. “Thank you, Master,” he settled on. It was all he thought that he could manage at the moment. 

He cast a quick glance around and saw something moving just out of sight. “Master? Are those more Minotaurmon?” He indicated where he saw whatever moved there. Surely his Master wouldn’t want anyone to get away. 

“Yes, they are.” But Master made no move to chase them down. “I have what I want. If they turn up later, I can take them.” 

Daisuke turned his attention back around in time to see a very smug smirk on his Master’s lips. It wasn’t one that settled well with him, though he remained sure his Master wasn’t angry with him. He just wasn’t certain of what Master thought about. 

_He’s a lot smarter than I am. I probably couldn’t understand it if he told me._ Daisuke hadn’t believed that before. That was one of the many lessons he’d had ground into him. 

He made sure he remained safe at his Master’s feet as they rose back into the air, the Minotaurmon now involved with destroying their own home before they marched off to whatever fate Master had in mind for them. In trying to avoid looking, Daisuke caught another glimpse of Wormmon, their eyes meeting for a few seconds. Daisuke jerked his away first, hating the sight of those sad blue eyes. He stared ahead instead. That made for a better view of sorts. At least he had an idea of when they would see the Candmon village. 

The trip didn’t really last much longer, only about a quarter of an hour. Daisuke took the time to enjoy the kiss of the wind and the feel of the sun on his shoulders. He didn’t think he’d get to feel it again very often and soaked all of it in while he could. 

Without warning, they were there. The Candmon village nestled in the folds of a volcanic valley, tucked away more into the hills that surrounded the valley than anything else. If he hadn’t heard it was there, Daisuke suspected that he would have missed it entirely. There wasn’t anyone he could see there at all. 

Master tilted his head back and snapped his fingers. At the sound, the landbound forces that followed along with them encircled the area and held still, waiting. Master held his breath, the tension rising with each moment. 

Then he snapped again. With nothing more than that, his forces poured into the village, crashing into the hidden homes and sending Candmon out by the dozen. A crack of Master’s whip manifested more and more Evil Rings, all of which swept down to clamp onto their prey. Daisuke watched, worrying at his lower lip, and didn’t look up until Master’s touch brushed his shoulder again, Evil Rings held out, and an unspoken command in frigid violet eyes. 

Daisuke took the Rings and did what he knew would please his Master. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Everything the Kaiser does has a purpose behind it. Even letting some Digimon escape – for now.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter:** Twenty-four|| **Words:** 42,083

* * *

Kaiser smiled. A genuine smile that would have had anyone else who saw it fleeing as far as they could, desperate to get away from him before he did something unbelievably violent and fatal. 

The only person there who could see it shivered at the sight even as he continued to hurl the Evil Rings, targeting the Candmon all over the place. As soon as they wrapped around each one, the newly enslaved Digimon came over to bow before their new master, who grew more and more pleased each time this happened. 

Once there were enough, Kaiser cleared his throat, resting a hand on Daisuke’s shoulder, commanding him to staying still and quiet now. Then he turned his attention to the new slaves. 

“Put up the Tower and patrol the area. If any Digimon who belong to any of the Chosen come in the area, alert me and do your best to take them down.” 

He kept his hand on Daisuke’s shoulder the whole time, so he was quite aware of the tiniest shiver that went through his favored slave at those words. He pressed his fingers a little more tightly; not quite enough to hurt, but enough to convey the message that he wanted. 

All of the captured Candmon moved outward, setting up the framework for the Tower and organizing for patrols. Kaiser watched in pride for several minutes before he caught sight of something moving in the bushes. 

_Just what I thought._ He tapped Daisuke on the shoulder and indicated it was time to return to AirDramon. His slave was only a pace or two behind him as he walked, and with every step, Kaiser could feel the sensation of someone watching them. 

Oh, he did so hope so. It would make everything that he’d done so worthwhile. 

Wormmon followed the two of them back onto AirDramon, who quickly took off. Kaiser didn’t bother looking down; his attention remained now on Daisuke, curled up at his feet. Kaiser awarded him a pleasant rub of the head. 

“You did very well and I’m proud of you,” Kaiser praised him. “If you keep this up, I’m going to have to reward you.” 

Daisuke glanced up at him. Kaiser couldn’t have been happier to see all of that fire banked and tamed to his hand. What a delicious sight. 

“Reward, master?” He actually sounded confused. Kaiser stroked again and Daisuke leaned into his touch. 

“Yes. Continue to please me and I’ll not only release the other Chosen but give you back V-mon as well. He’ll have to learn to obey me – with or without a Ring – but you can teach him that, can’t you?” Kaiser edged his words with warning. He would give this to Daisuke if Daisuke continued to earn it. If he didn’t, he had far more ways to express his displeasure than a simple beating or being locked up. 

Daisuke didn’t know them yet, but if it came to it, then he would. 

Daisuke swallowed, jerking his head downward, shoulders tense and hard. “Yes, master. I can.” 

That got him yet another rewarding pet. Kaiser quite enjoyed being able to touch Daisuke and see him thrill to it. 

_When I started this, I had no idea of how long it would go on._ Some of what he’d done had only been out of anger and surprise, and the ongoing desire to ensure that nothing Daisuke ever did as long as he lived would hurt Kaiser ever again. That meant making sure Daisuke understood his place in the world was absolutely underneath his master’s feet. 

Part of him continued to wonder if the Chosen would find a way to take Daisuke away from him. The more time that passed, the more he began to believe that they wouldn’t. Perhaps they’d _try_ if they were ever close enough, but he made sure that they’d never be close enough. 

A stray thought crossed his mind. He considered it for a few moments, comparing it to what he’d already thought of where the events at the Candmon village and the Minotaurmon clan were involved. The Chosen would find out about those sooner or later. The ones who’d escaped would carry the word of the Kaiser and his obedient Daisuke to them. 

_I think this will work out just fine._ He sketched the idea out in his head all the way back to the fortress, stalking his way to the control room. Wormmon and Daisuke followed him, both absolutely silent. He stopped outside of it. 

“Wormmon, go find one of the Chosen’s partners. I’ve decided to work on an idea of mine.” He had more than one idea here, of course. But only certain people needed to know about them right now. 

As Wormmon wriggled off, Kaiser turned his attention to Daisuke. “Go and feed the Digimon below. Come back to me as soon as you’re done.” As he spoke, he unhooked Daisuke’s leash and coiled it up. It would be useful later. 

Daisuke quickly darted off through the nearest corridor that would lead down there. Kaiser watched until he was out of sight, then moved on into the control room, laying all of this out in his mind. 

_Information and distractions._ Training Daisuke had taken up a good amount of time since he’d brought him here. Now he’d finished that and it was time to take up the next step. 

* * *

Wormmon found the one that Kaiser wanted most of all in a very short amount of time. Kaiser saw the worry in Wormmon’s eyes when he brought the report. 

“What do you plan to do to him, master?” Wormmon murmured. “Have they made you that angry?” 

“Them? No.” Kaiser smiled as he relaxed in his chair, putting the last few touches on this idea. “I need to test something and they’re going to be my test subjects. I’ve been thinking about this for _such_ a long time.” 

“Master?” Wormmon wriggled closer. “If you want a loyal Digimon, then I’ll do anything at all that you want. You know that.” 

Yes. Yes, Kaiser knew that, and it set his blood aflame to even _think_ about it. He glared down before Wormmon got close enough to touch him. 

“You’re useless and _you_ know that. The only thing I want you to do is obey my orders and I haven’t told you to do anything else, have I?” 

The little worm flinched back. “No...” 

“Then don’t. Don’t presume to know what I have in mind. Now, tomorrow I’m going to get him. Pick out a decent team for me to take with me. Add in at least two more Digimon who can defend as well. They’re going to make sure nothing happens to Daisuke.” 

Wormmon tilted his head at that. “Master?” 

Kaiser waved one hand. “Go.” He didn’t need to spell out all of his plans, especially not to Wormmon. 

Especially not when he could hear Daisuke coming back up through the corridors. Daisuke, who wasn’t a Digimon, but if he _were_ , he would be far more useful as a partner to the Kaiser than Wormmon could ever hope to achieve himself. 

_I wonder if I could alter him to do that._ That was an interesting thought, and one he would have to consider very carefully. Whatever they were when they weren’t in the Digital World, they were data while they were _in_ it. Data could be changed, corrupted, rebuilt, and transformed. 

He’d already considered making his very own Digimon, the partner that he should have had. Perhaps if he started from a different sort of base, he would be able to get what he wanted. 

A thought to deal with later. For now, he kept aware of Daisuke as the other approached and started getting ready to kneel. 

“Stop.” Kaiser ordered. Daisuke froze where he was, all of his awareness focused now on Kaiser, who beckoned him around. Daisuke stood in front of him, trying not to look as if he were as worried as he had to be. Kaiser moved his fingers for a brief moment, then caught Daisuke’s chin in his usual grip. 

“Who owns you?” The question dropped in three firm words. Daisuke blinked a little, confusion writ clear in his face, before he answered. 

“You do, master.” The way he said it was perfect, flawless. No real hesitation as to the truth of the answer, clear and total acceptance of said answer. 

“Are you a Chosen?” 

Daisuke carefully shook his head, not trying to get out of the grip at all. Kaiser made certain he didn’t keep it tight enough to bruise. “No, Master. I belong to you, not them.” 

“Very good.” Daisuke would definitely earn a reward for this, even if he didn’t understand it. “Will you ever disobey me again?” 

That got another shake of his head, a little harder this time, but still with no intent to escape. “No, master! Not _ever_!” 

For a moment he looked as if he wanted to say something else, but a faint quirk of Kaiser’s eyebrows silenced him. 

“Do you have any family that you wish to see?” He might as well cover all of this. 

Daisuke actually looked confused over this. “No, master. None of them – the Chosen or my parents or Jun – they don’t want me. Why should I want them?” 

Perfect. Just perfect. 

Daisuke waited for another question or any other orders. Kaiser let the silence drag on for a short time before he finally released him and gestured to the cushion beside his seat. 

“You belong with me, don’t you? You _love_ being mine.” 

“Yes, Master.” Daisuke replied at once, settling down on his knees. “I’ll never leave you. There’s nowhere else I want to be.” 

Kaiser reached over to rest his hand in praise on Daisuke’s head, even more pleased to feel Daisuke tilting his head closer at the touch. Daisuke breathed a bit faster at Kaiser stroked his head for a few moments. He’d absolutely earned his praise, whether or not he understood why. 

_And the Chosen will hate seeing this._ He slipped the small disc he’d used to record the last few minutes out and weighed it in his hands. If only he would be able to see their expressions for himself. 

Perhaps he’d get lucky and they would watch the recording somewhere in the Digital World where he could see it. He would have to wait and see. What mattered more was that they saw it, saw Daisuke shattered under his influence, realized that nothing they could ever do would return Daisuke to them. 

Whatever else happened, he’d won that battle. And perhaps in the end, that would lead to him winning the war. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** If I told you all everything that I’ve got behind the scenes, you would all want to strangle me. I’m sure of it.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter:** Twenty-five|| **Words:** 43,850

* * *

Daisuke didn’t bounce out of bed, since that would likely have disturbed his Master. He did get up quickly once he woke up and pulled his clothes on, getting himself into order, and stepped out from his little cubbyhole, ready to get his day going. 

After all these weeks, he still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact his Master allowed him to sleep so close. Granted, there were reasons for it – Master wanted to keep an eye on him in those foolish early days – but still, it made him so happy now to be that trusted. 

As soon as he left the cubby, he glanced to his Master’s bed. The Kaiser woke almost as soon as Daisuke’s door opened, sharp eyes staring at him. Daisuke at once dropped down to his knees, waiting for the first orders of the day. 

“Breakfast,” Kaiser ordered. Daisuke nodded, back on his feet in a breath, and hurrying out the door to the stairs that led to the kitchen. 

Wormmon would already have been down there, making sure breakfast was ready by the time Master woke up. So when Daisuke entered, one of the slave Digimon turned towards him with a tray available. None of them spoke to him; no Digimon was allowed to speak to him at all. Only Kaiser could. 

Daisuke didn’t quite remember what it was like hearing people who weren’t Kaiser-sama talk to him. He knew that they had; he knew if he ever saw anyone who wasn’t one of Kaiser-sama’s slaves they would do it. But he couldn't recall what it felt like to have anyone other than his Master pay attention to him. 

_I didn’t know what it was like then for them to pay attention to me,_ he reminded himself as he headed back to Kaiser-sama’s bedroom. _Kaiser-sama is so much better._

At least if Kaiser-sama ignored him, there was a reason for it. His Master had so much work to do, and Daisuke did his best not to add to it. Complete obedience and submission, that was his contribution. 

When he got back to the room, Kaiser-sama sat beside his table, already tidied and dressed for the day, Daisuke’s cushion in its customary place on the floor. Daisuke settled the tray on the table, then folded himself into the cushion, eyes trained down on the floor. 

_What will I do today?_ He knew he needed to feed the Digimon who spent their days in Master’s cells. That was one of his regular chores. Kaiser-sama hadn’t mentioned going out to take over anywhere in particular today, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he decided to do that and take Daisuke with him. Daisuke wasn’t always taken along on raids, but more often than not. 

He’d forgotten how many Digimon he’d settled Rings on by now. He would have thought ‘too many’ under most circumstances. He didn’t like it; he still didn’t like the fact Kaiser-sama’s plans to rule the Digital World marched steadily ahead without anyone who could stop him. 

_Remember, the fact no one can is all **your** fault. Never, ever forget that._

Daisuke reminded himself of that at least twice a day. He’d improved; he’d reminded himself of it multiple times a day when he’d first started to go on raids with his master. Now that knowledge resided in his blood and bones. 

Master touched him on the shoulder and Daisuke raised his head, ready for the first part of his breakfast. Bit by bit Kaiser-sama fed him and ensured he drank. Daisuke found this one of the best parts of his day. It meant that his Master _cared_ about him, took such good care of him. 

Better than anyone else ever would. Better than they ever _could_. 

After breakfast, Kaiser gestured to the plate. “Take it back and then join me in the control room. I think I might have a special gift for you today.” 

Daisuke blinked, tilted his head. “Gift, master?” He scrambled to his feet and reached for the tray; if he didn’t follow his orders, then whatever the gift was, he wouldn’t get it. 

Kaiser smiled at him. “Yes, Daisuke. You’ve earned a very special gift. Not to mention, it’s an anniversary.” 

Daisuke already took his first few steps to the door before he stopped, confused. “What anniversary, master?” 

“Ours, of course.” Kaiser-sama chuckled in amusement, more so when he looked at Daisuke’s total amazement. “It’s been three months since you surrendered to me. You’ve improved so much and I’m very proud of you. So I have a gift for you.” 

He gestured. “Go along. I’ll explain it more when we’re in the control room.” 

Daisuke blinked before he hurried out of the bedroom, racing towards the kitchen as quickly as he could get his legs to move. One question rang in his head over and over. 

_Gift? Really? What would he give me? I don’t need anything._ He had everything that he’d ever wanted: to some degree. Kaiser-sama fed and clothed and housed him, perhaps not in raw magnificence, but very suitable clothes and a place to sleep, and Daisuke shared in Kaiser-sama’s food, delivered by his master’s own hands. He would have liked it if he had V-mon with him, though after all this time, he’d found himself thinking less and less of his partner. He wanted no harm to come to him, but those days of being wild in the Digital World – and wrecking his Master’s work – were so far away now. 

If he could have spoken to the Digimon, he would have asked Wormmon if he knew what Master had in mind. But Wormmon not only wasn’t in the kitchen, but Daisuke couldn’t have spoken, or received an answer, if he had anyway. That was a rule Kaiser-sama hadn’t ever relaxed since putting it into place. 

He settled the tray in the correct place, then hurried back to his Master’s side. He wanted to know what this gift was and wondered how much he would like it. It wasn’t a question on _if_ he would like it or not. He loved whatever Kaiser-sama did for him. Even his punishments were loved, because it meant Kaiser _cared_. 

Daisuke wasn’t surprised to find his master seated in his chair, watching his screens carefully. He made his silent way to his cushion, folding himself down onto it, and waited for Kaiser-sama to acknowledge him. 

It didn’t take long. “Three months.” The screens flickered and showed Daisuke that fateful first day, when Kaiser-sama so easily brought him down. He vaguely recalled having been angry at his Master at the time, at least partly because his Master abducted the other Chosen. He couldn’t quite bring those same emotions up, though. Not now. 

“I hope I’ve pleased you, Master,” he murmured. Kaiser’s hand touched the side of his face. 

“Oh, so very much. I had no idea of how good you’d be but I’m quite glad that I claimed you.” On the screens, what happened once before unfolded, as the Daisuke of the past saw the Chosen of the past sealed in amber. He’d seen them a few times since then, though he still wasn’t allowed to touch them. 

Then the scene shifted to show the amber sealed Chosen in a forest glade. It wasn’t that far from one of those televisions. Daisuke briefly wondered if he’d ever cross one again. He thought of his parents and Jun even less than he did of the Chosen now. They had to be so much happier without him, and he was without them. 

“You surrendered to me at first because I had them,” Kaiser-sama murmured, the screen showing each of the Chosen, frozen in that single moment of fear. “You would do anything that I said because you chew that I could kill them at a moment’s notice.” 

Daisuke nodded. A tiny hope, buried ever so deeply in the solitude of his heart, tried to flare, and he fought it back down. “But now I obey you because you’re my master. What else would I do?” 

Now Kaiser’s hand rested on the back of Daisuke’s neck. “Very good. You obey me because I own you, because you are aware that you’re my property.” His fingers touched the collar. They seldom used the leash these days, but Daisuke wasn’t ever without the collar itself. 

“Yes, Master.” 

Kaiser-sama’s fingers moved over the keyboard. Each sphere of amber glowed for a few moments, then faded away, each of the Chosen and their Digimon dropping down to land in unmoving heaps. For a few terrified heartbeats, Daisuke thought none of them breathed. Then the smallest one – Iori? - twitched and started to lift his head. He was just the first; within five minutes all of them sat up and stared around. 

Daisuke could see their lips moving, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. He glanced up at his Master, who looked back at him, one slim eyebrow cocked. 

“W-what are they saying, Master?” 

Again Kaiser-sama touched other keys and the first thing Daisuke heard was Takeru’s voice. 

“-go home.” 

“Are you sure?” That was Hikari, who looked around as she tried to steady herself. “We should call the others.” 

“The gate’s right there,” Iori pointed out. “Better to go home and see what we’ve missed.” 

“I’m _hungry_!” Miyako declared, rubbing her stomach. “Let’s go!” 

Daisuke dropped his head and turned away. “Thank you, Master.” He didn’t know what to feel. He wasn’t sure what they remembered or knew – had they been aware all this time? Did they know where he was or to them, had it just been a few seconds since everything changed? 

How much did it matter? They would find out regardless. 

The sounds from the screen faded away. Kaiser-sama patted Daisuke’s head again and Daisuke leaned into it, reveling in how good his master’s praise felt. What the Chosen would learn was how _happy_ he was here and they would just have to learn to deal without him. After three months, the Kaiser’s forces were far too entrenched to be dug out easily, and they were down a person anyway. 

He swallowed, a sudden new question occurring. “Where’s V-mon, Master?” His partner hadn’t been there. 

“Still locked up. Should I choose to release him, he’ll be given back to you. Remember I said you’d have to teach him to obey? That hasn’t changed.” Kaiser-sama assured him. “I want you to go feed the Digimon now. Then return here for further orders.” 

Daisuke stood up at once. “As you wish, Master.” And he quickly departed on his task. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Seriously, if you knew everything that I knew, you’d want to strangle me.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter:** Twenty-six|| **Words:** 45,611

* * *

One week. Then another. And another. One more to wrap up a month. Kaiser worked through his projects carefully. Crafting his own Digimon kept him involved for at least part of the time, though it wasn’t as necessary as he’d thought it would be. With Daisuke firmly and irrevocably at his side, the Chosen weren’t the kind of problem they’d been before. 

Though they tried, of course. All of them tried, popping in and out of the Digital World in attempts to find the other Digimentals: that he’d already found and kept guarded by his most powerful slaves. 

_I really need to get upgrades. Having Perfects serve me would help._ Kaiser smiled at the thought, leaning back in his chair and playing with Daisuke’s hair as he did. He’d found over the weeks that doing that actually seemed to help him think. Sometimes he even spoke to Daisuke out loud; having a sounding board got him through a few difficulties. 

“Is there anything I can help you with, Master?” Daisuke asked. Kaiser glanced down, another smile tugging at his lips. He’d created the perfect servant from an annoying enemy and he would never stop being proud of himself because of this. 

“My Rings need an upgrade.” He glanced back to the screens before him. “I’m sure you recall that mess with Andromon, before you became mine?” 

Daisuke blinked for a few moments in confusion. “I-I think I do.” He shook his head a small bit. “It’s all hazy back then, Master.” He bit his lip. “I don’t have to remember, do I?” 

Kaiser soothed him with another few strokes. Daisuke leaned a little closer, breathing quietly. “No. Nothing then matters.” He’d put too much effort into dividing Daisuke from his past to change that now. “But the Rings don’t work very well on Perfect levels. I’ve considered getting a test subject.” 

His free hand danced over the keys, bringing up the images of the various partners of the older Chosen, as well as V-mon. “One of these.” He chuckled. “Of course, one of them I already have.” 

Kaiser wasn’t surprised to feel the tiny flinch under his hand. He couldn’t break the bond between a Chosen and their partner. In truth, he hadn’t even tried. There wasn’t a need to. He had Daisuke firmly in the palm of his hand and that meant if he ever chose to release V-mon, then he would be the same. 

“Master?” Daisuke murmured after a few silent moments. Kaiser allowed him to keep talking. “Will you ever release V-mon?” 

Somehow, he wasn’t surprised that Daisuke wondered this. He toyed with the strands of Daisuke’s hair a little more. “I haven’t decided yet. Do recall my conditions: that you teach him to obey me. I won’t have him causing problems around here.” 

He suspected if he hadn’t immediately set out to crush Daisuke's will, Daisuke would have absolutely caused _him_ problems around there. That fire burned extensively in him and Kaiser wanted it under his control before it raged and burned everything down. Since he’d avoided that, he wanted to make sure that Daisuke’s partner didn’t do the same thing. 

“I understand, Master.” Daisuke nodded before he looked at the images of the Chosen’s partners on the screen. Kaiser quite enjoyed seeing sparks of intelligence in those brown eyes. Daisuke wasn’t nearly as smart as he was, but he wasn’t a fool by any means – especially not now that he’d learned the greatest lesson of them all. 

But his intelligence focused on action and what he could do, not what could be learned from books. Kaiser didn’t think he had any need for books anymore. 

_I could make him a general._ Kaiser liked that thought. It would require a _lot_ of training, of course, but Daisuke could be so much more than a hand rest or feeding the enslaved Digimon. He tucked the thought away to entertain later. First came this issue. 

“Was there one that you wanted in particular, Master?” Daisuke asked, staring at them all, his expression saying that he fought to remember what had been part of his life just four months earlier. 

Kaiser considered them all and what he knew of them. “These ones are useless.” He marked off Patamon, Tailmon, Armadimon, and Hawkmon. “They’re not nearly strong enough and whatever their evolutions are, they’re unknown. I prefer to go with something I have an idea about.” 

Daisuke nodded, more focus coming into his face as he examined them more. “The two strongest ones are Agumon and Gabumon.” He worried at his lower lip. “I remember – U-Ultimate?” The way he said the word indicated he wasn’t certain of it at all. Kaiser nodded, a soothing stroke moving all the way from the top of Daisuke’s hair to the back of his neck. 

“So the rumors I’ve heard said.” He’d interrogated a Pagumon who insisted that he’d once been highly evolved enough to fight them – Kaiser wasn’t so sure about believing him, but it wasn’t possible to lie underneath the effect of an Evil Ring. It wasn’t entirely impossible. The Pagumon babbled a lot when given permission, which kaiser revoked once he realized he wasn’t getting any _useful_ information out of it. “But you’re right. They have an Ultimate form.” He pressed his lips together in thought, then shook his head. “No. I’d rather not risk that with untested tools.” 

He would develop something to control Ultimate levels later. Right now he would be quite happy with Perfect. There was a Piccolomon on the far edges of his territory causing trouble; he wanted to get Andromon back under control, and this might even be a good way to claim all of the Chosen partners for his own. If he could take them all, then this war would be over. 

Even more so than it already was. 

“So which would you like to see doing my bidding?” Kaiser asked. Picking either one meant little to him. He wanted to see what was on Daisuke’s mind. 

Daisuke didn’t answer right away. He just kept staring at the two images of Gabumon and Agumon, eyes shifting back and forth between them. Finally he glanced up towards Kaiser. 

“Gabumon.” 

Kaiser offered a brief smile of approval at that. “And why him?” He definitely wanted Daisuke’s reasoning there. 

For a moment Daisuke’s gaze dropped. Then, before Kaiser could move, he lifted his head up and stared into his master’s eyes. A storm blazed in those depths that Kaiser hadn’t seen in months, a storm not directed at him, but those he’d called friend months before. 

“Because I want him to know what it feels like being attacked by someone you thought you could trust.” 

_Perfect._ Kaiser awarded Daisuke with a very approving pet over that. “Very well. I think I’ve already proven that my Rings don’t work effectively enough on Perfect levels, at least not ones that are already Perfect.” He shifted his gaze back to the screen, changing the display so all that was there was Gabumon and his evolution of Garurumon. A third space was set aside for the next evolution: WereGarurumon. 

He didn’t expect anything else from Daisuke unless he asked for it. So he was more than a little surprised to hear him speaking again. 

“Master? May – may I capture him for you?” Daisuke fidgeted under the Kaiser’s touch. “You want to see if the Ring will work if he’s evolved with it, don’t you?” 

“Yes.” Kaiser agreed. That meant taking Gabumon and evolving him with the dark energy of his own Digivice. He quite liked this evidence that Daisuke’s mind remained intact, if tamed to him. 

The scientific aspects appealed to him as well. What would be the differences between controlling a Perfect who’d been that way for who knew how long and controlling one that he’d evolved personally? Would doing it with the power of his own device as opposed to whatever bond existed between human and partner change the evolution results? 

He had _so_ much to learn about this and he all but drooled at the thought of doing so. 

“I can capture him for you!” Daisuke offered, eyes brightening moment by moment. “Please let me, Master.” 

Kaiser considered that. He could see where Daisuke got the idea – even with the tiny glimpses he’d let escaping Digimon have of Daisuke, he doubted the Chosen and their partners understood how much Daisuke belonged to him now. But he didn’t want to take the chance that they would snatch Daisuke from him. 

_Admittedly it would be amusing to see them try. I think he’d shatter something to get back to me._ Even if he didn’t, seeing the damage Daisuke would unleash on them would be thoroughly amusing. 

He made his decision. “You can capture him. But I will go with you. I don’t trust the Chosen and they would try to take you back from me.” He sneered. “How little they know.” 

Daisuke’s grin slashed across his features, hot and fierce and blazing. “When did you want to do it, Master?” 

Kaiser glanced at the time, ticking away quietly in the corner view of the monitors. He seldom paid much attention to the passing of the hours, working day or night as he saw fit. But if he wanted to do something that involved the outside world, he had to make sure the outside world would be able to provide the interaction that he wanted. 

“Tomorrow. It’s too late tonight.” He’d already made the first outlines of this plan weeks earlier; striking at night would allow him to acquire the target far more quickly, but it didn’t have the psychological advantages that he wanted. 

He returned his attention to the screens, tapping out the commands that he wanted. He always kept some of his stronger slaves circling in various areas, partially patrolling and partially searching for any new information or movements of free Digimon that he might want to acquire for himself. Now he sent orders. 

“By morning he’ll be trapped. Not captured – you’re going to do that for me.” He did not keep the warm praise out of his voice. Every moment he approved of Daisuke’s actions was one more moment that welded Daisuke closer to his side. 

Daisuke fidgeted, fingers playing with the edge of his cushion as he glanced up. “The Chosen are going to come then, master. They’ll want to protect him.” 

Kaiser smiled a very pleased smile at that as he rose to his feet and gestured for Daisuke to do the same. “That’s exactly what I want.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** You know, prior to writing this, I had an interesting idea for a Daisuke, Taichi, and Yamato friendship piece where the reason Daisuke never dark evolved V-mon was because after the SkullGreymon/Viral MetalGreymon incident  & Daisuke acquiring the Digimental of Friendship, Taichi & Yamato sat him down and told him all about the first SkullGreymon incident. So he learned ‘do not dark evolve your Digimon’. Also, Yamato apologizes for his episode 4 actions now that he knows Jun better. 

No, I haven’t lost my saltiness over that.


	27. Chapter 27

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Title:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke  
 **Chapters:** Twenty-seven|| **Words:** 47,367  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelines: K6, under 2000 wpc; Three-Sided Box: 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, The Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Daisuke breathed deeply, focusing on what he needed to do. He’d suggested it himself; his Master approved, but that didn't mean doing this didn’t make him uneasy. He tried very hard not to remember much about the time before he’d come to his Master – he’d been so _stupid_ then and he hated remembering himself then. _Now_ was so much better. His Master gave him orders that he could carry out without causing problems and he did them. That made his Master pleased with him and there wasn’t any _lying_ about it. 

But this was the first time that he’d made a move like this. His Master didn’t want him near the Chosen and he’d absolutely agreed with that. In the beginning, he knew, that he’d wanted to go back to them. Only now – now he wanted something different, so very different he almost didn’t recognize himself. 

Now he wanted Gabumon. Now he crouched behind a thicket of bushes and watched what was going on before him. 

Master told him that Gabumon would be trapped and as always, what he told Daisuke was true. Four Flymon encircled Gabumon, darting in and out to tease him where they wanted him to go. On the ground, another three Kentaurumon waited, shooting occasional blasts toward Gabumon, making sure that he didn’t get past the Flymon on the ground. Last of all, a fierce Akitormon hovered, ready – or appearing ready – to turn Gabumon to stone the moment he got too close. 

Daisuke took a long, hard look at Gabumon. He’d been chased almost all night and he looked it. Exhausted, barely able to move, dripping in sweat, probably hadn’t been able to call for any help – Master told Daisuke over breakfast that he’d ordered his servants to ensure that no one else would know what was going on until Master _wanted_ them to. 

_Gabumon’s one of the strongest but even he can’t deal with this. Not alone._ Maybe if Yamato were here and Gabumon could evolve then it would be different. But to see him like this, worn out and hungry… 

For a few seconds Daisuke found he felt sorry for Gabumon. It wasn’t his fault Daisuke was so angry at Yamato – at Ishida. Daisuke cut him off from mental first name addressing. Gabumon hadn’t ever done anything to upset him. It was all Ishida and Yagami and Takaishi and Inoue and Hida – all of them and everyone else who mocked him when he wasn’t looking and didn’t care what happened to him. 

It was all them and Daisuke would make sue that they all regretted it sooner or later. Preferably sooner. He knew that would make his Master happy. 

He shoved all of his sympathy for all the Digimon deep down into himself and focused on what he needed to do the most. The enslaved Digimon would recognize him as soon as they saw him – Master made sure of that. They’d been programmed with the plan he and Master had carved out together. 

That still made him _so_ happy to realize that his Master would let him do this. He savored it for a few more moments, then moved forward. He didn’t look behind himself but he could feel his Master’s eyes on him. He would make his Master proud of him. 

Daisuke inched forward, keeping behind as much cover as possible, doing all that he could to ensure that he wasn’t seen by Gabumon. They’d planned this so that Gabumon wouldn’t see or hear or smell him at all. He’d be all but invisible, right up until the right moment. 

And that moment was now. 

He shifted forward through the bushes. The enslaved Digimon shifted as if they had no idea of his existence. An exit appeared, calculated to lead right to Daisuke. Gabumon shifted back and forth on weary paws, eyes darting to the gap between Digimon. Daisuke waited for those crucial few seconds before he ducked his head around and caught Gabumon’s attention. 

“Come on!” Daisuke whispered, beckoning quickly. “This way!” 

Gabumon stared. Daisuke didn’t think that he’d ever seen someone looking so surprised. If Akatorimon hadn’t stasrted to move forward, eyes gleaming scarlet for more reasons than the Ring on one wing, then he might have stayed. 

Perhaps everything else that happened after that would have been so very different if he had. 

Neither Daisuke nor Gabumon had any idea of that. Gabumon leaped forward, one leg dragging, and Daisuke hurried outward, one hand reaching out for him. His heart beat faster as he took hold of Gabumon and pulled him into his arms. 

It wasn’t at all like carrying V-mon. Gabumon was a lot heavier and bulkier and the fur got right up into Daisuke’s nose. He tried not to think about V-mon at all. Mission first. Maybe if he really pleased his Master, Mater would allow him to visit V-mon. 

Daisuke hurried through the bushes again, carrying Gabumon, and avoiding the enslaved Digimon. They fell farther back the more that he ran; that was part of their programming too. High up above, out of sight, followed his Master. 

Finally, when Daisuke reached the clearing they’d chosen, he fell forward, half-dropping Gabumon and half letting him down. He sagged as well, breathing harder, holding himself back from searching his Master out with his eyes. He wouldn’t feel completely at ease until they were back at the fortress. Just being out here made him nervous, let alone not being able to see his Mater. If it weren’t for everything else that he could see, he would have almost wondered if he were somehow back in The Room. 

Time for the next phase of the plan. He turned himself towards Gabumon, who stared at him in shock. 

“Daisuke? Is that really you?” 

He dredged up a smile. It hurt to use it but he did anyway. “It’s me. Are you all right?” 

Gabumon rubbed his head with one paw. “I think so. What about you?” 

_As if you really care._ Daisuke held back the words, recalling what he needed to say. “I’m good. Do you have any way to call Is – Yamato?” Damn. He’d almost slipped up there. But Gabumon didn’t seem to have noticed. 

“Not from here. If I can get to one of those televisions I could but every time I got near one, they started to catch up to me.” Gabumon threw a worried look behind them. He didn’t need to worry – not about those Digimon, anyway. Then he glanced at Daisuke. “What about you? Do you have your D-Terminal with you? Or your D-3?” 

Daisuke dropped his head, staring at the ground. “No.. Master – I mean – the Kaiser -” It didn’t seem right to say anything other than Master, but he forced himself to keep going. “He took them away from me and I couldn’t get them back.” He didn’t know if Gabumon could tell if he told the truth or not. But he _was_ telling it. His Master had taken those things and he couldn’t get them back because his Master didn’t want him to have them. 

Gabumon rested one paw on him. “We’ll get them back. How did you get out of there?” 

Now Daisuke tensed up and shook his head, refusing to speak. He’d made up his mind that he wasn’t going to lie during this mission, mostly because he was really bad at lying, and he didn’t want that giving him away. But there were so many other ways to let Gabumon think what he wanted him to think. 

It worked. Gabumon looked around a little more, but asked no questions about what had happened over the last few months. Instead, he shoved himself to his feet. “We need to get to a television so we can contact the others. Do you know where there is one?” 

He knew where they all were. In fact, they’d picked this area for that reason aloe. “There’s one that way.” Daisuke nodded off to the left. “There’s a lot of Digimon between here and there though. We’re going to have to be careful.” 

Of course they would. But this was all part of the plan that he and his Master had worked out so he wasn’t all that worried about it. Whatever danger presented itself would be only to convince Gabumon to trust him all the more. 

“Let’s go, then.” Gabumon hesitated for another few seconds. “You don’t have anything to eat on you, do you? And where’s V-mon?” 

Daisuke stared down again, twiddling his fingers, breath catching in his throat. He’d been so excited for this that he’d not even noticed what he and his Master had for breakfast. But that too had been part of the plan. _Everything_ had been part of the plan. He expected nothing less from his Master. 

“We’re going through some fruit trees on the way. We can eat there.” He wasn’t going to answer about V-mon, at least not right now. Not unless Gabumon pushed him too much on it. 

Daisuke got to his feet. Gabumon took a long look at him, his eyes going even wider at the sight. “Those aren’t your regular clothes...” 

“No. I haven’t seen those in a long time. Ma – the Kaiser – gave me these.” Daisuke tugged at them. They were good clothes; simple and tough and good for his usual duties. But they weren’t in the bright colors that he’d worn before – and he didn’t want them to be. These were the clothes that the Kaiser’s most favored servant wore and Daisuke wasn’t ever going to leave that post. 

Gabumon said nothing at all about that, though the look on his face said volumes. He didn’t like Daisuke’s Master. Daisuke expected that. No one liked the Kaiser.. except him. Even Wormmon didn’t, at least not from what he’d seen. Wormmon worried about him but he wanted whoever the Kaiser was when he wasn’t the Kaiser. Daisuke devoted himself to the _Kaiser_. 

Gabumon quietly followed Daisuke along as they worked through the shrubbery, keeping themselves out of sight of the passing Digimon who knew exactly where they were and did nothing but growl menacingly on occasion, just enough to keep Gabumon from asking any questions that it might have been too rough for Daisuke to answer. 

Daisuke’s Master planned all of this; perhaps not down to every single moment, but he’d taught Daisuke exactly where he needed to go and how to do this in order to deliver Gabumon right to him and Daisuke wasn’t going to let him down. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I am doing heavy duty innocent whistling. You believe I’m innocent, don’t you? If you do – you’re new, aren’t you?


	28. Chapter 28

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Title:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke  
 **Chapters:** Twenty-eight|| **Words:** 49,143  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelines: K6, under 2000 wpc; Three-Sided Box: 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, The Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

“He did it,” Kaiser murmured, staring down from AirDramon’s back. What a _pleasure_ to see the results of his work. Such a difference between Daisuke kneeling passively at his feet and being out here where others could see how devoted Daisuke was to him. 

If that didn’t put him so much farther on winning this war, then he didn’t know what would. 

He followed Daisuke along as he led Gabumon to the clearing they’d chosen for the actual capture. Gabumon glanced up on occasion, or so Kaiser presumed from the way that he moved, but he’d long since learned how high he could remain and not be seen by those on the ground. 

Even if Gabumon saw AirDramon, he wouldn’t see the Kaiser. So he’d be worried, but not panicked. Not yet. Not when he had Daisuke by his side. 

Kaiser had to hold himself back from laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. He wasn’t having a great deal of luck in doing so. 

From this high up he couldn’t hear what they talked about, but he and Daisuke had already arranged what could and couldn’t be spoken about. Daisuke’s lack of ability to lie convincingly proved an issue – if Gabumon asked the right questions, then the whole thing could come undone. 

_A risk worth taking. We’re close enough that if he tried, we can still take him._ He’d made his plans very well, after all. 

As he always did. He’d formed the plan that brought Daisuke under his control. He’d sketched the ideas that would lead to understanding what sort of changes would be necessary to controlling every Digimon in the Digital World. 

AirDramon drifted along and Kaiser observed everything. He considered for a few moments before he called up a keyboard connected to his computers in his fortress, along with a screen, and started to design a quick and dirty observation. Within five minutes he had a much closer view of what was going on with Daisuke and Gabumon. 

“How much farther?” Gabumon asked, clearly exhausted. Kaiser smirked; his slaves had been very good at their job in wearing him out. If he’d allowed more time, Gabumon wouldn’t have been able to walk, let alone make a pretense at escape. 

Daisuke looked all around. Kaiser wasn’t certain if he actually saw AirDramon or not, but he knew well that his Master was in the area. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “That television’s this way, though. We’ll get there.” He sounded reassuring. 

They both moved on for a little while before Gabumon asked another question. “What happened, Daisuke? You’ve been with the Kaiser so long and ” He shook his head, as if whatever else he wanted to say was just too horrible to put into words. 

“Right...” Daisuke didn’t meet Gabumon’s eyes but kept on forging ahead, stumbling over a stray branch, taking a pause to lean against a tree for a few seconds. “It’s been hard.” 

Of course it had been. Daisuke needed to learn a lot and Kaiser took it on himself to teach him. 

Gabumon didn’t take his eyes off of Daisuke as they moved along. Kaiser wondered what sort of thoughts might be going through his head. He wasn’t entirely certain if Digimon actually thought, in truth. 

_I sincerely doubt that such creatures as Numemon do. But some of the others, it’s difficult to tell._ This Digital World _was_ so much more complex than he’d originally thought. But would that include original thought? 

Another point he’d want to investigate when the time came. First and foremost he would get rid of all the obstacles to his rule. But afterwards, he’d have so much more time to indulge himself. 

Gabumon raised his paw and started to reach for Daisuke, maybe in a comforting way. Could Digimon do that? Could they at least believe that they could? 

But before the contact could happen, they stumbled into the chosen clearing, and Daisuke bent over, breathing a bit harder than normal. Kaiser made a mental note to see to it that Daisuke exercised more. Certain games likely weren’t on the agenda – they didn’t have enough people who could make a team – but there were other ways that he could deal with that. 

Daisuke took a stumbling step, then caught himself against one of the trees. His gaze flickered upward and Kaiser’s screen reflected a cautious expression. Very good. Very good indeed. 

Finally Daisuke drew himself up and turned towards the center of the clearing, Gabumon moving the same way. “I had to do whatever the Kaiser wanted,” Daisuke said, eyes cast downward. “If I didn’t, he hurt me.” His hands tightened into fists, voice trembling. “Over and over. All the time.” 

Gabumon stared at him, starting to reach again, but Daisuke twisted away from him. Kaiser took the chance to admire the way he looked in the clothes that he’d provided. He anticipated how the Chosen would react to seeing this in the near future. 

_I’ll have to record it. This will be something to treasure._

Daisuke pulled in another breath. “But he told me the truth that no one else wanted to. That I didn’t deserve to be treated like _they_ did. That they didn’t like me and didn’t care what I was gong through. That my own _family_ barely cared that I’d vanished.” 

Gabumon stared at him, eyes growing wider and wider with each words. He started to shake his head, but Daisuke didn’t notice him. He just kept talking. 

“They’re not my friends. They never have been. And I’m not _their_ friend. I don’t _**want**_ to be their friend, either. Their idea of friendship is just being exactly like them and not caring what anyone else wants as long as you do just like they do!” 

Kaiser smiled. He shifted the view on the monitor so that he could see Gabumon’s expression. That too would be worth viewing over and over. 

“Daisuke, they ” Gabumon started to protest, but Daisuke whirled on him, eyes blazing as they hadn’t in so long. 

“No! I mean it! Kaiser-sama - _Master_ \- tells me the truth! None of you ever did! None of you ever cared anything about me! Did you even _look_ for me because you _liked_ me or because you were worried about me, or because you wanted to make sure I didn’t get a Ring on me and attack you?” 

Kaiser still wasn’t sure if his Rings would function on humans or not. He chalked that up as a project to deal with eventually as well. 

With every word that came out of Daisuke’s mouth, Gabumon stared, too shocked to say a single word. He started to shake his head again, but Daisuke still didn’t listen to a word that he might have to say. 

“Ishida didn’t want to listen when I said that I didn’t like Jun. I still don’t like her. I’m never going to like her!” Daisuke all but snarled the words out. “And no matter how much it makes him mad, I don’t care! And that goes for _Yagami_ too! Both of them1” 

Kaiser raised one eyebrow. He’d never heard Daisuke, of all people, sounding so full of rage and hatred. He’d done his best to instill that in Daisuke but to hear it expressed like that surprised him. 

Surprised and pleased him at the same time. 

“Daisuke, it’s not like that,” Gabumon managed to get the words out. “It’s really not! What did he do to you...” 

“ _Master_ told me the truth! And I’m going to help him do whatever he wants to do. If that means take over the Digital World, then I’ll do it.” Daisuke stared at Gabumon, rage written across every inch of him. His eyes all but glowed with fury and his expression wasn’t anywhere close to the gentle one that almost everyone knew him for. 

Kaiser hadn’t ever seen him look so wonderful. He’d created that. He’d made it possible for Daisuke to express himself like this, not holding himself back anymore. 

But as beautiful as this was, Kaiser couldn’t let it go on forever. The longer it did, the more chances that the Chosen would realize where they were and start moving in. it wasn’t time yet for that. 

He made certain that he was in the right position before directing AirDramon to drop downwards. He could hear Daisuke’s voice rising on the wind, but he moved too fast to pick out the individual words. Gabumon seemed to be protesting, but Kaiser trusted that Daisuke wouldn’t believe it. 

When he could see Daisuke and Gabumon below, he made his move, leaping from AirDramon’s back, and landing next to Daisuke. Gabumon stared at him, falling backwards a few steps, reaching towards Daisuke. 

“Get away from him!” Gabumon shouted, anger written in every words and line of himself. “He’s twisted your mind, Daisuke!” 

Daisuke turned towards Kaiser and dropped down to his knees without a single word, bending his head submissively. Kaiser smiled, resting his hand on Daisuke’s head. 

“I think you’ve been talking about me,” Kaiser purred, “and I really don’t know if I like what _you_ have to say.” He rested his gaze on Gabumon. “But we can deal with that another time.” 

Gabumon drew his head back in an unmistakable gesture of attack. Kaiser didn’t move. He didn’t need to: Daisuke did it for him, leaping to his feet and launching himself in between Kaiser and Gabumon. 

“I won’t let you hurt him,” Daisuke snarled. “You’re going to do what he wants, Gabumon!” 

“No, I’m not!” Gabumon declared. He started to move away again, but with as tired as he was, and with no food in sight, he remained slow and sluggish. 

Kaiser glanced toward Daisuke and they exchanged the briefest of nods before Daisuke reached into the inner pocket of his shirt and pulled out an Evil Ring. 

“Yes, you are.” 

In fairness, Daisuke hadn’t practiced doing this very often. He’d assisted the Kaiser in capturing lesser Digimon, so that counted as experience. But despite all of the rage that he’d nurtured inside of Daisuke, this still remained someone that he’d somewhat considered a friend before now. 

And yet that meant nothing at all as Daisuke flicked his hand and hurled the Evil Ring right at Gabumon and Gabumon tried to avoid it. Rings weren’t so easily avoided, not with the Digimon Kaiser standing right there, and between one breath and the next, it wrapped around Gabumon’s arm. 

He froze where he was, blue eyes shifting to deep scarlet, not moving. Kaiser smiled as he turned his full attention to Daisuke. 

“Well done. Let’s go home.” 

* * *

**Notes:** Ready for what comes next?


	29. Chapter 29

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Title:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke  
 **Chapters:** Twenty-nine|| **Words:** 50,902  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelines: K6, under 2000 wpc; Three-Sided Box: 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, The Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Daisuke couldn’t help himself from cheering as the Evil Ring clamped down on Gabumon. He ignored the tiny little twitch inside of himself that said he shouldn’t be so happy. Their plan worked and now his Master could continue with what he wanted to do. 

His Master’s hand rested on his shoulder for a single moment before gesturing toward AirDramon. “Let’s go. The Chosen will find out about this soon enough.” 

“Yes, Master.” Daisuke hurried along in his Master’s wake, a bare step behind him. The slave Digimon who’d assisted in this would make their way back to the fortress or wherever their assigned location was; he didn’t need to worry about them. 

He did check around for any signs of any other Digimon in the area, though, anyone who could possibly alert the Chosen too soon to what his Master had done, or even to him being there. 

Daisuke knew very well that they knew where he was and if they hadn’t guessed by now that he obeyed his Master then they were pretty dumb. Gabumon hadn’t known much, if anything, but he didn’t know if the Chosen would have told their partners what they knew. Sometimes it seemed like they told them everything, sometimes they didn’t tell them anything. 

He settled onto the AirDramon behind his Master, Gabumon in between them next to Wormmon, silent and scarlet-eyed. Daisuke tried not to look at him. Looking at the Ring sent tiny shards of pain all through him. 

_Master wants this. **I** want this._ Ishida Yamato needed to know what it was like to have someone that he cared about, that he trusted, turn on him. _Just like I did._

He would never, ever forget what it was like to have both Ishida and Hikari screaming at him because he didn’t like his sister. A shudder rolled all through him at the thought of what else he’d seen – all the times the older Chosen muttered insults about him or blamed him for the other younger ones being captured. 

_And they wouldn’t even care that they’re free now because of me._ Daisuke jerked his thoughts hard away from that and focused instead on his Master. It always made him feel better to think about his Master and what he could do to help him. He still didn’t know everything that Kaiser-sama had in mind to use Gabumon for. There had to be more that he hadn’t been told yet. 

By the time they got to it, the fortress hadn’t moved on all that much. Master always made sure it moved slowly when they weren’t actually in it. Another quality example of how he could and did outthink everyone. Daisuke still couldn’t believe just how _intelligent_ his Master was. Just the thought of it made him weak in the knees. 

Kaiser led him not to the usual command room, but to another room a level above that one. A door in that room led to a larger room, completely empty, that Gabumon entered at Kaiser-sama’s command. Then his Master turned to Daisuke. 

“I’m going to need your help here, Daisuke.” 

Without a single thought, Daisuke dropped down to his knees before his Master. “Just tell me what you want me to do, Master.” 

He thrilled to the gentle touch his Master pressed against his head before work-roughened fingers brushed through his hair. “You’ve done very well, Daisuke. I’m proud of you.” 

Daisuke’s heart tilted and soared in his chest. He would have done anything at all for praise like this and what he had done for it didn’t seem all that bad. 

“For right now, I want you to trust me. To stay in here with him until I tell you otherwise. I’ll be releasing the Ring’s hold shortly. Remember that any of the Chosen or their partners could lie to you to attempt to sway you from me.” Kaiser’s fingers tucked up under Daisuke’s chin to tilt his head upward. “That isn’t going to do them any good, is it?” 

Daisuke shook his head just a bit, not enough to dislodge those firm fingers. “No, Master. I belong to you.” Such a simple, effective truth. 

Kaiser smiled. “Now, if I need you to do anything else, I’ll let you know. You don’t need to be afraid of anything he’ll try to do to you. I won’t let you be hurt.” His lips curved a moment. “Do you know why that is?” 

“Because I’m yours,” Daisuke replied without a moment’s hesitation. “And you only hurt me when I deserve it.” 

Again Kaiser-sama rewarded him with a warm brush of praise. He gestured for Gabumon to move into the center of the room while leaving Daisuke to cover the door before he departed. Daisuke wasn’t sure of where he would be, but he stood at his assigned post regardless. 

It wasn’t hard to guess when Kaiser-sama made it back to the control room. Gabumon’s eyes faded from red to blue again and his features twisted up in confusion. He glanced around in an attempt to figure out where he was before he stared at Daisuke, hurt and even deeper confusion written there. 

“Daisuke?” 

Daisuke didn’t move. Master hadn’t said he needed to keep Gabumon from escaping – the Ring itself would stop that, even like this – but he refused to move. 

“What – what happened? Are you all right?” Gabumon started to move forward, one paw reaching toward him. Daisuke let himself grin. It didn’t feel like a very happy grin but he enjoyed it regardless. 

“I’m fine. You remember what happened, don’t you?” He’d never asked a Ringed Digimon what they remembered or didn’t before. It was kind of interesting, really. 

Gabumon frowned for a heartbeat and Daisuke kind of enjoyed the expression of dawning shock and horror as he surely remembered everything Daisuke said before. He’d meant every word of it as well. He would help his master do anything and everything that he wanted to and he thought he knew what it was like to hate someone, especially Ishida and Hikari. 

_I don’t think I like her anymore. Not like that._ He didn’t think he wanted to hurt her. But he definitely didn't’ want to go out with her, if she’d even agreed to do so now. 

Slowly Gabumon shook his head. “You can’t mean that. He must have done something to you. You’re not like that!” 

“How would you know?” Daisuke snapped. “None of you even thought about what I’m like. And even if I _wasn’t_ like this before, I am now! Or don’t you want me to be anything except what you want me to be?” 

Again Gabumon could only stand and stare at him. He shook his head but Daisuke couldn’t quite believe that he was saying no. 

“What does the Kaiser want with me, then?” Gabumon asked. Daisuke thought this would probably be better than keep on the same topic about why he now served his Master. It wasn’t like _that_ would change any time soon. 

“You’ll find that out.” Daisuke wasn’t sure if his Master would want him to say, so he tried to err on the side of caution. 

There was a faint crackle from above. “You’re going to assist me in several experiments. Don’t even _attempt_ to escape, Digimon. Even if you could get past Daisuke – which you can’t – you can’t find your way out of my fortress.” 

Gabumon’s gaze jerked all around, trying to find out where the Kaiser’s voice came from. “I’m not going to help you! You can’t make me do anything!” 

“I can make you do _everything_.” Kaiser replied, pure smugness in his voice. “And you will do anything that I tell you to do.” 

Daisuke wasn’t surprised to see Gabumon shaking his head. Kaiser-sama clearly didn’t care what the Digimon thought, though, as the Evil Ring glowed for a heartbeat and Gabumon’s eyes shifted to bright red once again. 

“Watch yourself. I’m about to evolve him.” Kaiser-sama ordered. Daisuke pulled himself up as tall as he could. 

“Yes, Master!” He squared himself before the door, ready to dart out if necessary, and to block it from whatever Gabumon became when he evolved. 

Thick curls of dark energy started to swirl all around Gabumon, rising up from the Evil Ring. In a heartbeat Daisuke couldn’t even see him anymore, but he definitely heard him, as a wild, pained mixture of a scream and a roar echoed around the room. Something moved within the swirl of energy and Daisuke wished for a moment that he had V-mon with him. 

He’d seen Gabumon evolve before. He’d found it pretty amazing at the time, even with all the other issues then. But what he saw now was amazing and terrifying in an entirely different way. 

When the energy cleared and Gabumon’s new evolution stood before him, Daisuke’s breath caught in hos throat. He didn’t know what sort of Digimon this was, only that it rose over him by quite a bit, and appeared crafted of dark red flames. Long sharp claws stretched on the end of its paws, with a helmet fitted on the head. 

“Master...” Daisuke murmured, hardly able to believe that what he saw existed. Though if anyone could have created it, his Master was that one. 

“Take three steps to the left, Dark Lizamon.” Kaiser-sama ordered. Dark Lizamon roared, stretching silver-tipped claws forward, energy building up on the ends of them. It didn’t move to the left or the right. Instead it roared again, the rage echoing from the steel walls, and started to move forward, ferocious eyes on Daisuke. 

Daisuke started to move backward, until Kaiser-sama’s voice snapped a quick order. “Stay where you are. I’m testing my control of Dark Lizamon. He won’t be allowed to hurt you.” 

At once Daisuke froze where he stood. He wasn’t afraid but he knew what those claws could do if they hit him. Still, he trusted his master’s word. Kaiser-sama only hurt him when he’d earned it somehow and he’d done nothing for that now. 

Dark Lizamon started to bring his claws down, moving almost too fast to be seen. Daisuke tensed, heart pounding, a fine trail of sweat springing up along his back. Before the ferocious Digimon could move close enough to hurt him, he froze in place, the Evil Ring glowing ever so faintly. Dark Lizamon struggled and strained, growling more and more, until the Ring flashed and his eyes turned the deepest shade of red yet. Dark Lizamon slumped downward, glowing again, and Gabumon hit the floor, trembling. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I did some research for potential dark evolutions for Gabumon. We won’t be seeing a Viral WereGarurumon. I have other plans...


	30. Chapter 30

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Title:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke  
 **Chapters:** Thirty|| **Words:** 52,720  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelines: K6, under 2000 wpc; Three-Sided Box: 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, The Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Kaiser observed the situation, lips firmly pressed together as he worked on figuring out what to do next. He didn’t worry about Gabumon, in any evolution, causing harm to him or to Daisuke. The Evil Ring would see to it that didn’t happen. 

The issue there was that it took so much energy to keep Gabumon from trying to escape. Adding that to the energy output required for the dark evolution – it seemed such an evolution took far more energy than the evolutions the Digimon normally achieved – and it didn’t quite seem to _work_ right. 

He drummed his fingers on the control panel, thinking. There had to be a way to get this to work the way that he wanted to. He just hadn’t figured out what it was yet. 

But he would. He always did. He’d figured out how to get Daisuke away from his pesky ‘friends’ and how to make him into a submissive obedient slave, and gladly so. This wasn’t any more difficult than that. 

His attention brushed across the Ring itself, thinking over what he’d learned when he’d first created them. Back then he’d had several ideas for what he could do to impose his will on the Digimon. He’d tried different styles that would transfer his orders. It took a while even then to get it done right. These creatures didn’t take orders very well. 

At least they hadn't then. Now remained quite different. 

As pleasant as that thought was, he focused once more on his current goals. A few more taps of his fingers did little to solve his problem. 

A new shape. That could probably do it. Something that would convey more energy to the Digimon wearing the Ring. Energy enough to hold a higher evolution and ensure that the Digimon would obey his orders. For that matter, it needed to be something that would remain on the Digimon. 

From shape to shape his thoughts darted, searching for whichever one would do the work. His fingers twitched over the keys, testing and discarding several before he stared thoughtfully at one in particular. 

_This one._ He started to shape it, testing it bit by bit. It would take a few days for the full version to materialize; he could create Evil Rings now so quickly because he knew their programming inside and out. But these… these Evil Spirals, they were different. 

_If these work, then I’ll be able to create them as well, with practice._ Only he could do something like that. But even he required rime for certain things. 

He brought his attention back to the screen before him. Daisuke still stood before the door, his own attention focused on Gabumon, who hadn’t moved at all since collapsing and reverting back from Dark Lizamon. That was a very interesting evolution. _I’ll have to see if I can recreate it._

Kaiser’s lips twisted. Perhaps he couldn’t fully control Dark Lizamon just yet, but he knew something that he could do until the Spiral finished forming. He leaned forward. 

“Daisuke. Keep out of his way. You’ll be safe if you do.” 

The moment he spoke, Daisuke came to attention,, head tilted up, eyes sharp and attentive. He took a step back, shoulders squared up, and nodded. 

“Yes, master.” 

_I’ll never get tired of hearing that._

As soon as he was certain Daisuke remained just out of attacking range, he turned his focus on Gabumon again. With a flex of the controls, he sent a series of orders. 

“Wake up. Evolve.” 

The Evil Ring pulsed and Gabumon’s eyes dragged open. Kaiser could see how tired he was and refused to care. A soft noise next to him alerted him to the fact Wormmon _did_ care. His lip curled at the very thought. What foolishness. Wormmon would be so much more useful to him if Wormmon actually tried to fight for him instead of whimpering all the time. 

_Wormmon fighting? What a joke!_ He snorted under his breath at the thought before he started observing Gabumon again, his frown deepening. 

“Evolve!” He wanted to see Dark Lizamon again and determine how useful this could be. _I might as well do **something** with him to kill time until I get the Spiral._ Gabumon started to swell, shadows enveloping him, and in a few heartbeats Dark Lizamon stood there, roaring in defiance. Enraged eyes fell towards Daisuke, who didn’t move. The trust he had in his master almost warmed Kaiser's heart. 

Power began to build up on Dark Lizamon’s claws. Kaiser snapped as quick as he could form the words. “Step back from him! You are _not_ to harm him!” 

He rose to his feet. He could do this better from in there. Dark Lizamon froze for a few seconds before he started to reach for Daisuke again. Kaiser issued one more order: “Step any closer to him and you’ll be punished!” 

Kaiser had plans to that effect regardless but there wasn’t any need to reveal that right now. He couldn’t be entirely sure that Dark Lizamon would even understand what he said just yet. 

Where he’d placed Dark Lizamon and Daisuke didn’t take long for him to get to. He also brought along something else – something he suspected would be useful. Energy had to come from somewhere and the energy that his Dark Digivice filled Gabumon with came from _him_. 

The door slid aside and he entered. Dark Lizamon hadn’t taken more than a few steps towards Daisuke, who stood there with his back tense and his shoulders high and his fists clenched and who didn’t even look toward the door when it opened. But when he caught sight of Kaiser, the relief that filled his expression sent an odd sensation all through the warlord. 

He shoved that thought aside in favor of gesturing Daisuke to stand by his side while he turned his full attention towards Dark Lizamon. 

“I think I know at least some of the reason that he’s so defiant. Other than hating me.” Kaiser smirked as he gestured to the Gazimon he’d had follow him in. They rushed inside, dragging a metal cart piled with meat – Kaiser never asked where the meat came from. He wasn’t certain if he even wanted to know. But it was here and it did the job that meat was to do and that was all that mattered. 

Daisuke blinked. “He’s hungry?” 

“Yes. I had him chased all night and it takes energy to evolve, as I’m certain you remember.” 

Daisuke, to his credit, nodded rapidly. 

“I provided enough energy for these two evolutions but I don’t think even I could provide for a third. He’ll have to be fed regularly in order for me to make use of him.” Kaiser watched as Dark Lizamon sniffed close to the pile of meat, then wrenched off a mouthful and started to shred it. “My plan is working, though.” 

Daisuke brightened. “The Ring is working?” 

Kaiser shook his head. “I’m going to try something new. An Evil Spiral. It will provide more energy that will enable him to evolve to a Perfect level. Likely not – what did you call it?” He remembered, but he wanted to ensure Daisuke’s complete devotion to him. 

“WereGarurumon,” his slave provided without a breath of hesitation. “It’s only supposed to happen with the Crest of Friendship.” 

Kaiser smiled. “You were also supposed to be my enemy, weren’t you?” 

Daisuke’s head dropped and shoulders fell down. Words of apology sprang to his lips, but Kaiser silenced him with nothing more than a wave of one hand. 

“I’m not angry. But this is what we both want, isn’t it? To teach them that they shouldn’t have treated you the way that they did. To prove to them that I am the unquestioned ruler of this world and that you are now _mine_.” 

He rewarded Daisuke with an approving pat when Daisuke agreed most eagerly. Then he turned back to where Dark Lizamon finished up his dinner. 

“Now, let’s try this again.” He held up his Dark Digivice and stared directly into those blazing eyes. “Take three steps to the left and then bow down to me.” 

Dark Lizamon didn’t move at first. Kaiser started to consider what else he would have to do in order to get the results he wanted when the Digimon finally snuffled three steps to the left. Claws shifted, clinking against one another, before Dark Lizamon bent his head. It wasn’t entirely a bowing down, but Kaiser decided that it would do for he moment. He would work on this later. 

“You did it, master,” Daisuke breathed, staring at the newest addition to the Kaiser’s troops. 

“Of course I did. But that Spiral will make it even easier.” Kaiser circled Dark Lizamon at a careful pace, Daisuke only a few steps behind him. “He needs more training.” He fingered his whip for a few moments. 

_He’s listening now but he won’t forever. Not until I have the Spiral on him. But if I can train him more with the Ring on him, then the Spiral will have less work to do._

He kicked Dark Lizamon sharply. The Digimon roared at him, that energy building up once more. Kaiser hadn’t let him reach a point where he could finish an attack since this began and he wasn’t going to do so now. His whip snapped outwards, lashing hard against Dark Lizamon’s face. 

“You stay down until I tell you to move!” Kaiser snapped. “And I haven’t told you to do anything else! Stay where you are!” 

A twitch caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Daisuke’s eyes, ever so faintly glazed, dropped away from admiring his master. Kaiser, no fool at all, knew what he had to be remembering: how Kaiser trained _him_ in the beginning. 

He let Daisuke remember that. It would reinforce how Kaiser ruled him and everyone else in this world without question. Not to mention that he had other tasks to accomplish at the moment. 

Again he circled Dark Lizamon and again his whip struck out, this time crossing his captive’s back. He could see the tip of his whip sink into the darkness that surrounded – or possibly made up – Dark Lizamon but it seemed to cause pain regardless. 

He unleashed another hit and then another, purring to himself as Dark Lizamon roared in futile anger. 

Kaiser didn’t think he’d enjoyed himself quite so much in a while. He turned towards Daisuke, lips parting to call him closer. In that moment, Dark Lizamon roared, a sound that had nothing to do with pain and everything to do with pure anger and rage. 

Later, Kaiser realized he’d heard words in that roar. They didn’t ultimately matter, but perhaps if he’d paid attention, he would have been aware of what happened before it did. But the world turned to black fire in the wake of those words. 

“ _Dread Fire_!” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** At the moment, my plans involve this story resolving after the situation with the Digimental of Friendship is dealt with. Sequel fics will involve other plot points. And before you ask, Daisuke will remain with the Kaiser until I say he won’t.


	31. Chapter 31

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Title:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke  
 **Chapters:** 30-47|| **Words:** 54,518  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelines: K6, under 2000 wpc; Three-Sided Box: 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, The Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Daisuke didn’t think. He wasn’t certain if he even knew how at the moment. Kaiser told him what to do and he did it and had for weeks now. He’d thought that was good enough. Not what it had been before, but good. 

Until he saw Dark Lizamon breathing a sphere of flame towards Kaiser and Kaiser not moving fast enough to get out of the way. So Daisuke moved. Daisuke shoved Kaiser back, spreading himself as much as he could to intercept the soot-black flames as they blasted forward. 

For a few heartbeats the entire world existed only as pain. Daisuke tried not to fall. If he fell, Kaiser would be in danger. He refused to let that happen. But his legs shook and his heart raced and a soft whimper of pain whispered between his teeth. 

Daisuke couldn’t see anything else. But he could feel a sudden pair of arms around him, supporting him, and a familiar voice in his ears, though he couldn’t have repeated what Kaiser said to him by any means. His back throbbed and screamed in pain and tears of agony pricked at his eyes. 

One word did snap clear to him, though it wasn’t addressed to him. 

“Stop!” 

Kaiser’s word, directed towards Dark Lizamon, spat out in a shimmer of rage. Daisuke leaned closer, his legs not wanting to work yet, and tried to close his eyes. 

“Daisuke. Stay awake.” Kaiser’s orders were to be obeyed. Daisuke dragged his eyes open, looking upward, and saw Kaiser staring back at him, fear written all over his violet eyes. 

That was wrong. So very wrong. His master wasn’t ever supposed to be afraid. So what could have done this? It shouldn’t be allowed. Daisuke stirred a little, wanting to find whoever did that and make them pay for it. 

But Kaiser refused to let him move. “Stay where you are.” 

Daisuke wouldn't let himself disobey. His entire body hurt too much to do anything else, though. He could hear Kaiser-sama saying something, but he couldn’t keep his thoughts focused enough to even be certain of what it was. He tried harder to keep himself focused. He didn’t think he was doing a really good job of it. 

Again Kaiser's voice broke through his hazy thoughts. “Take him to the infirmary.” 

Daisuke once again tried to drag his eyes open. It was a little easier this time, but probably more because he had practice in obeying his Master. His gaze darted about until it settled on the slender figure standing there, hands on his hips, radiating fury. 

Was it directed at him? Had he done something wrong? He pulled words out as fast as he could. 

“S-sorry… Master...” He’d hoped that he’d done something good, but really, could some Digimon like Dark Lizamon really have harmed his Master? Kaiser-sama was far too good for that to happen. 

But then Kaiser-sama touched his hand, a single brush against Daisuke’s skin. “You did nothing wrong. I want you to rest. I’ll take care of you soon.” 

Daisuke didn’t have the energy to say anything else. He felt himself being carried away; probably some sort of large Digimon. He didn’t bother looking to see which one, though. He just watched the endless steel corridors going by until he was brought inside of a room he’d never seen before. 

He’d been told to stay awake, so that was what he did, keeping a grip on his awareness with every bit of strength that he had. He lifted his head when Kaiser entered, but he wasn’t sure of how much time had passed. It didn’t feel like a whole lot. 

The pain didn’t hurt as much now. Daisuke didn’t regret any of it, not for a moment. It meant that his Master wasn’t suffering it. He didn’t think he would have had any idea of what to do if Kaiser-sama were the one hurt. 

Kaiser-sama did things. Daisuke could feel his shirt gently removed and then Kaiser-sama’s fingers press against his skin. A quiet breath of relief and nothing more. 

“It’s not as bad as I thought,” Kaiser-sama said at last. “But I don’t want you to ever do anything like that again. Do you understand?” 

Daisuke blinked a little. He dipped in and out of being aware, even when he put all of his effort into staying awake, so he wasn’t entirely sure of what Kaiser was even talking about. He gave the only real answer that he thought he could right now. 

“Yes, Master.” 

Kaiser-sama set a gentle hand against Daisuke’s neck for a heartbeat, then moved away. When he came back, Daisuke caught a whiff of a wonderfully floral scent for a few heartbeats, before something began to be pressed against his back. It was cool and refreshing and everywhere it touched, the pain eased and Daisuke relaxed just a little more. 

“This will help you heal up faster.” Kaiser murmured as he kept smoothing whatever it was on Daisuke’s back. “We’re not going out until you’re on your feet again.” 

Daisuke wanted to protest that, but a single look from his Master sealed his lips. If that were what Kaiser-sama wanted, then so be it. Though he wasn’t at all sure of what he could do that would mean his Master wanted him at his side. 

“You can sleep, Daisuke,” Kaiser-sama told him, resting a hand on Daisuke’s shoulder. “I’ll let you know when you can get up again.” 

Daisuke wasn’t at all in the habit of disobeying his Master, not these days. He’d spent all of his time since being brought into this infirmary on what he guessed was a table. It wasn’t all that comfortable, but that made no real difference as he closed his eyes and let himself drift away. 

* * *

When he woke up, Daisuke slowly looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. He saw machines that he didn’t know the meaning or purpose of, and two Digimon beside the door he could see – they were Gazimon, recognizable even from the back. 

That was about all he thought he was certain of at the moment. Then a small green shape wriggled into the room – Wormmon. Wormmon stared up at him for a few heartbeats before he turned and hurried out again. 

“He’s awake! He’s awake!” 

Daisuke heard Wormmon calling and brisk footsteps sounded a few seconds later. He tried to smile when he saw the Kaiser enter the room, realizing only then that he was on his stomach instead of his back. He wasn’t sure of why, until the first hints of itching started to work their way into his awareness. 

“How are you feeling?” Kaiser asked, stern gaze now resting on him. Daisuke found that a lot more comforting than the idea of Kaiser looking worried at him. 

“Better, Master,” Daisuke replied at once. He wriggled as the itch grew more intense, creeping up his shoulders and down his back, and nothing he did could get to it. He wasn’t tied down but he couldn’t get his arms twisted around to really satisfy the itch. “I itch, though, Master.” 

Kaiser's hand fell onto his, keeping him from moving any more. 

“Of course you do. The cream I put on you will help you heal, but that means you’re going to itch for quite a while. Don's scratch. That will make it worse.” Kaiser stepped forward, moving out of Daisuke’s sight. He heard something metallic clanging behind him, then water being poured. Daisuke tried to twist his head around to get a look at what was going on, but he couldn’t really see much over there. If he wasn’t allowed to scratch, then he didn’t think he was allowed to turn over, as much as he wanted to. 

Then a cool cloth touched his back and he breathed in deeply at that. A few seconds passed before he grasped that Kaiser was wiping his back clean before applying a fresh coat of the strange cream. 

“What is that, Master?” Daisuke asked. He wasn’t sure if he should expect an answer or not. He’d never heard of anything like this, but he’d long since accepted that he didn’t know about everything, and Kaiser-sama knew far more than he did anyway. 

“One of my slaves told me about it when I had to first deal with Meramon,” Kaiser-sama said. “It’s created in a village quite a distance away from here.” Daisuke could hear the smug satisfaction in his words, even if he couldn’t see Kaiser-sama’s face right now. “That village belongs to me now. They produce it for when I have need of it. It’s best used on Meramon burns, but it will work for this as well.” 

Daisuke managed a small nod as he relaxed more. “What about Gabumon? Dark Lizamon?” He wasn’t sure of which name to use right now. 

“The Spirals are still being formed. But I think I’ve accomplished all that I want to with him for the moment. Once they’re ready, and once you’re ready, we’ll go on to the next stage.” 

Daisuke breathed in a deep breath. He could still feel his Master’s hands on his back, pressing the cream deeper in, and he enjoyed the sensation more than he really thought he should say anything about. 

“This should take about a week to get you recovered and for the Spirals to be at their peak efficiency. The Chosen will be _frantic_.” Kaiser-sama chuckled at that. “I’ll have to enjoy this while it lasts.” 

That didn’t surprise Daisuke at all. What did surprise him more than anything else was how much his Master _cared_ about him and went to such trouble to take care of him now that he was injured. He couldn’t yet get his mind fully wrapped around this, but what he did understand was how much he enjoyed this quiet time between the two of them. 

Moment by moment the tension slipped out of him, even as the itch continued. He wanted to sleep but the more he tried, the more he twitched. The itch all over his back and shoulders kept him awake, as did the fact Kaiser-sama was still there in the room with him. 

Then Kaiser-sama’s hand rested on his neck again, and he could feel even through his collar. “Here. This will help you sleep.” 

Daisuke accepted the cup of water: or perhaps not all water. There was a taste underneath it that, something warm and rich and soothing, and it satisfied the thirst he’d almost not noticed until now. As soon as he finished it, Kaiser-sama murmured one more sentence to him. 

“Go to sleep.” 

Daisuke wasn’t in the habit of being disobedient, not now. He closed his eyes and slipped away underneath his master's watchful gaze. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Oh, the side stories I could write about this arc – that would reveal far more than I want to right now. Maybe after I’ve finished this story. Sixteen weeks: the middle of July. Going to stick with me until then?


	32. Chapter 32

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke}} **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 32-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,772|| **Total Words:** 56,290  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Kaiser wasn’t very good at holding his rage back when something infuriated him. Daisuke could’ve testified to that, if anyone had ever asked him. That was, of course, why he was there in the first place. 

But when he could channel that rage into something else, into taking the long view and making certain that his revenge would be far more thoroughly satisfying than just a quick venting of rage, it was _so_ much better. 

He could watch any portion of his base from any other portion of it. Staying in the infirmary with Daisuke didn’t mean he couldn’t watch Gabumon, who lay in the tiny cell Kaiser provided, silent and Ringed and waiting for the moment when Kaiser would unleash him. 

Kaiser’s gaze flicked back to where Daisuke lay on the table, sound asleep. The medicine that he’d provided would ensure that Daisuke remained asleep for quite a while. The Meramon burn cream would see to it that the wounds healed – though Kaiser suspected that there would be scars. 

Daisuke saved him. If it hadn’t been for his quick moving, then it could very well have been him laying like this, drinking soporifics and getting smeared with the cream. Assuming Daisuke even knew about the cream - Wormmon did but he’d gone to a great deal of effort to ensure the two of them didn’t speak to each other. 

_I think I need to change that. Daisuke is even more loyal to me now than Wormmon is – he wouldn’t have done this if he wasn’t._

In point of truth, he enjoyed being the only interaction that Daisuke had. To know that Daisuke only heard his voice and only listened to him, only cared about him… far more intoxicating than he’d ever dreamed possible. 

But for the sake of what could be, for the slim chance that he could get hurt and Wormmon and Daisuke would be needed to tend him – he would see to that later. He didn’t expect it to be _necessary_ but he hadn’t gotten this far by not planning ahead. 

A quick flick of his fingers over the keyboard pulled up something else – the Chosen wandering through the Digital World. In particular, Ishida Yamato, Yagami Taichi, Yagami Hikari, and Takaishi Takeru. Their partners, too, of course – at least three out of four of them. Ishida Yamato paused, tilted his head back, and called for his partner. 

There wasn’t an answer. Kaiser would’ve been quite surprised if there had been. 

“Still nothing from Koushiro?” The male Yagami muttered, staring down at his D-Terminal. Kaiser wasn’t certain if that were a statement or a question. 

“We’re going to find him,” Ishida snapped, scoping out the territory. “Gabumon, the Kaiser, _and_ Daisuke.” 

Takaishi glanced at his brother, a worried tilt to his head. Kaiser couldn’t read their thoughts but he suspected that one worried quite a bit about the other. Let them worry. They would find any of them only when _he_ allowed it. 

Not until he was ready. Not until the Evil Rings were ready. A good dozen were being created at the moment and he’d already made plans for what to do with them. All he needed to put it into action was one decisive battle – one flawless victory. 

“Do you think-” The younger Yagami’s words faltered as Ishida gave her a _look_. Kaiser leaned forward, as fascinated by this as any soap opera. She swallowed and started again. “Why do you think the Kaiser kidnapped Gabumon?” 

_I don’t think that’s what she wanted to ask._ It might be a part of the question, but Kaiser very strongly suspected it wasn’t the whole thing. 

“Don’t know. Don’t care. He’s not going to keep him.” Ishida plowed forward, a stubborn set to his lips. 

_I think..._ The idea unfolded in his mind, clear and sharp and quite, quite pleasing. 

It would be delicious to watch Ishida suffer over his partner submitting to the Kaiser. It would be even more so to see his reaction to being part of the reason Daisuke submitted to him – Kaiser intended for some time to ensure that he learned this. 

But it would be a thousand times better for Ishida to learn all of this up close and personal. 

Kaiser’s fingers moved over his keys yet again, searching for their exact location and which troops he had in the area. They’d conveniently split up, it seemed, and while the other two – who seemed to be in the company of Kido, Izumi, and Takenouchi – could probably arrive soon enough to help in the fight, would it be soon enough to prevent his plan? 

_Not if I send a few Digimon after them as well._ That would delay them at a minimum. Divide and conquer tactics worked so much better when the enemy divided themselves up before he even moved against them. 

His decisions were quick and in a handful of moments, they moved out against his enemies. Kaiser glanced at Daisuke, who still slept the sleep of the drugged. He dropped one hand to brush through his messy hair. 

_Not merely my slave anymore,_ he decided. He’d considered this before. _My general to be._ He’d never encountered a Digimon who would both serve him freely – and wouldn’t have trusted such a one if he’d encountered them – and had the talent to guide an army. 

But Daisuke would obey him without question and he had the talent of leadership. He could do so much more than kneel next to the Kaiser. 

Not to mention how pleasant seeing the Chosen’s reaction to his new general would be. 

He set that aside for the moment. Daisuke would need to recover first. But he would make plans when he had the time. 

For now, he observed the screens, thoroughly enjoying the battle views there. He didn’t care at this point if most of his beRinged slaves returned or not: so long as at least one of them brought back Ishida Yamato in one piece. 

* * *

Kaiser’s smile couldn’t have been more pleased. He checked once more on Daisuke; he would require another treatment in another hour or so. But Kaiser knew well how he would spend this next hour. 

“Come and get me if he wakes up before I come back,” Kaiser ordered Wormmon, who nodded quickly. Kaiser stalked out of the infirmary and through the myriad of corridors until he arrived at his destination. 

He’d never put much effort into making prison cells. He’d never thought he’d need them. That was part of why he’d treated Daisuke the way he had – he wanted to keep a very close eye on him during the days of his training. And he hadn’t had anywhere else to put him. 

But now a small storage area had been quickly converted to a cell and in that cell struggled and squirmed Ishida Yamato. 

Ishida’s head jerked up as the door opened. For a heartbeat he stared at the Kaiser, then he strained even harder at the chains holding him to the wall. Kaiser only smiled. 

“You won’t get out of those. They’re strong enough to hold an Adult level Digimon. I sincerely doubt you’re on that level.” 

Kaiser knew full well how intelligent he was. He still didn’t understand the language that Ishida swore at him in. Though in fairness, he didn’t think that he’d ever studied French. 

Ishida lapsed back into Japanese, fiery blue eyes staring at him. “Where’s Gabumon? What have you done to him?” 

“You’ll see that eventually. That’s part of why you’re here, in fact.” 

Kaiser kept himself close to the door. He trusted in the strength of the chains being used, but he wanted to be able to leave in a hurry if Wormmon called to him. 

“What are you talking about?” Ishida virtually spat the words out. “ _Where is he??_ ” 

“Currently resting.” Kaiser tilted his head back, considering. “It’s quite exhausting evolving – and nearly killing someone.” 

Ishida’s eyes narrowed, focusing on him. “What? Was it you? Too bad!” 

“Oh, no.” Kaiser flicked his fingers and an image of Daisuke, sound asleep still, appeared between the two of them. 

Ishida froze. His attention jerked away from Kaiser to stare at the image. “Daisuke...” For a few heartbeats he looked more surprised than anything else, before he stared at Kaiser once again. “What have you done to him? To them?” 

“What did I do?” Kaiser did his best to sound offended. He really wasn’t sure if he succeeded. “Your partner made an attempt on _my_ life and Daisuke – quite willingly – protected me from it. Of his own will, I might add.” 

Ishida shook his head defiantly. “No. He wouldn’t have. Not unless you made him.” 

“Quite honestly, I had no idea that he’d do it. Here.” 

Again he entered a command and now the security footage spun by, revealing how Daisuke shoved Kaiser out of the way and took the brunt of Dark Lizamon’s attack on himself. 

“That’s not Gabumon!” 

Really, Ishida seemed to focus on the strangest things. But Kaiser wasn’t surprised, at least not very much. “Unfortunately, it seems that I can’t access his proper evolution through one of my Rings. But this will prove extremely useful.” 

Ishida just kept shaking his head. Kaiser dismissed the image. 

“I will take you to Gabumon in the morning. Tonight you’re going to stay here and think about what you’ve done. Everything that you’ve _ever_ done.” Kaiser let himself smile. “Consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to eat the way Daisuke does – though he really does enjoy it.” 

Oh, he loved the fury that Ishida directed towards him. The way those chains rattled, the fury boiling in every move that he made – if Ishida got out of those chains, then he’d definitely wrap his hands around Kaiser’s neck and break it. 

_Daisuke thought that too._ He didn’t expect Ishida to become that loyal and submissive – or to be loyal or submissive at all. He didn’t want him to be. He hadn’t even decided if he wanted to keep him for more than a handful or two of days. 

Another command and again recordings rolled forth – some of the earliest conversations he and Daisuke held between them, when Daisuke spilled his poor heart out to him about all the ways that the others treated him. Including Ishida himself. 

He stepped outside, satisfied for the moment. His carefully chosen records would reveal exactly how tame Daisuke was now. By morning Ishida would be raging ten times as what he was now. 

Kaiser started back to the infirmary. _Hm. I seem to have forgotten to order to have him fed. What a pity._

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Do you know how much it _hurt me_ that this isn't a breeds-verse? The things Yamato could and would do right now if he were half-Digimon... 

Also, I'm just gonna be over there. Hiding.


	33. Chapter 33

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 33-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,766|| **Total Words:** 56,290  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Daisuke dreamed. 

He hadn’t dreamed very often, at least not that he could remember, since he’d started living at his master’s fortress. 

That was a funny way to put it, he vaguely observed. But he thought it fit. What else could it be described as? Being captured was the technical truth, but he didn’t think of himself as a prisoner. Master took care of him and he took care of master. He obeyed his Master’s every wish and command. 

That sent a small surge of emotion through him. He had no idea of what to call it – tiny bits of dread, little flickers of worry, small shards of regret. But first and foremost, an overwhelming sense that something, somewhere wasn’t quite the way that it should be. 

_Of course it is. The older Chosen wouldn’t want me around. The younger ones – I did this for them anyway._ They were alive because of his choice and as much as he didn’t like what they’d done before – vivid flickers of so many times the others talked over him stood ready to remind him of their existence – he didn’t want them to die, or stay stuck in amber forever. 

Amber. 

V-mon. 

His heart twisted briefly at the thought. He would do whatever his master said, if only for V-mon’s sake. V-mon hadn’t ever done anything to hurt him. V-mon would come back to stand beside him one of these days. He just had to be patient. 

Daisuke stirred, trying to pull his thoughts either to full wakefulness or deeper sleep. He didn’t know what he wanted, so long as he got it. His back itched when he got closer to being awake and he ducked back down to sleep to avoid it. 

His back itched. Yes. He’d been hurt; he’d saved his Master’s life and gotten scorched for the trouble. It was because of Gabumon. Gabumon, evolved through his Master’s overwhelming power, tried to kill his Master. 

That sent a full body shudder throughout Daisuke. He breathed in a harsh, shuddering breath and scrambled for the deepest portions of sleep, where his back and shoulders and sides didn’t itch and he didn’t have to remember what it felt like to hurt so much that he couldn’t hurt at all. 

Master. He’d think about his master. He’d dream about him. He could remember his Master’s touch on him, soft and gentle and approving. He didn’t fear that touch anymore, though he clearly recalled the days when he had. They weren’t so long ago, after all. 

Though in fairness, they also seemed like a lifetime ago. He’d fought and struggled so hard in those days, convinced that his Master was wrong and the Chosen were right. Convinced that he’d done right in trying to stop his Master instead of serving him humbly. 

Kaiser-sama went to all that trouble to teach him otherwise. To show him where his true allegiance should have always lain – with someone who would never lie to him, never treat him badly unless he genuinely deserved it. 

_He stopped hitting me when I stopped fighting him,_ Daisuke reminded himself, still deep in the haze and mists of dreams. As much as that were true, it still sent a wash of worry through him. 

What if he started to fight his Master again? What if the Chosen came and took him away? He’d worried about that before. 

Even worse, what if they somehow defeated his Master? 

Fear closed a frozen iron hand around Daisuke’s throat. If he’d been awake, he likely would have brushed far closer to panic than he could muster now. He was asleep, he reminded himself, safe inside his Master’s impregnable fortress, where the Chosen could never touch him again. Even if he left here – which he would _only_ do with his Master’s consent – then he would have Digimon to guard him so the Chosen would stay far away. 

No. His Master would never be defeated. His Master would defeat _them_ and the whole idea of it being otherwise would be settled. His Master had _him_ and if his Master asked it of him – told him to do it – then he would evolve V-mon to FlaDramon and strike them all down once and for all. 

Daisuke relaxed more and more, shoving all of those irritating thoughts out of his mind. He’d never turn on his Master – he knew far too well what the penalty would be. So long as he remained loyal to the one being who’d truly done everything good for him, then he would be fine. Everything would be fine. 

Daisuke dreamed. In his dream he could see the entire Digital World spread out before him. He stood by his Master’s side and all of the Digimon knelt before his Master, and not a single one was controlled: like him they all accepted his Master as the one true monarch of the Digital World. He could see Wormmon on his Master’s other side and next to him – a shivering sort of joy thrilled to see the tinge of blue that could only be V-mon. 

Somewhere in all of that throng were the Chosen, he knew, in the way that little points in dreams were known, defeated and seeing him now as he should be, treasured and valued and useful. He shuddered and hoped not to see them. He wanted only to see his Master. The idea of other people – he wanted nothing to do with them. They wouldn’t understand. Other people weren’t his Master. 

His Master’s fingers brushed through his hair and against his neck, sliding under his collar to press against the flesh there. Daisuke let out a soft, pleased sigh. He would do anything at all to get such praise. He’d never been praised by anyone the way that he was by his Master. 

“Daisuke.” A soft murmur and he could still feel that hand on him, those fingers touching his skin, bringing that endless comfort. “Daisuke.” 

Was that his Master? Of course it was. He stirred slowly, his dream dissipating into little more than shards of memory. He blinked slowly as the room took proper shape around him again, and as it did, his back itched all over again. He shuddered and twitched, hating the feel of it already. 

But he recognized his Master’s touch on his shoulder and he dragged his attention up to acknowledge those intense violet eyes. The Digimon Kaiser’s touch remained gentle but firm as Daisuke focused, his head clearing from the miasma of sleep. 

“Are you feeling better?” 

Daisuke blinked, processing the question before he started to nod. “My back still itches, but it’s not as bad.” He suspected that his Master wanted something of him and he started to sit up, wanting to be ready for whatever it might be. 

Kaiser gestured him to remain where he was and Daisuke froze on the spot. Kaiser moved around behind him and Daisuke shivered at the feeling of gloved hands going over his back. 

“It’s still sore,” he admitted, “just not as much as it was.” He wasn’t at all certain of how long he’d been asleep or unconscious or what. If he had an option he would gladly go back to sleep for a while. 

Kaiser made a non-committal sort of noise as he began to clean off Daisuke’s back. Daisuke wondered why he didn’t order one of the slaves to do it for him and before he could think otherwise, the question tumbled out of his mouth. 

“Because you belong to me,” Kaiser said and Daisuke thought that he heard a faint bit of amusement in his Master’s voice. “And I take care of what’s mine. You were injured saving _me_.” 

Daisuke wasn’t going to argue that at all. Instead, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations as Kaiser cleaned off his back and reapplied the cream. 

“We still have some time before the Spirals and you are both ready to take the field. But I want to make sure that you’re ready for something tomorrow.” 

Daisuke tilted his head back, curious. “Master?” Did Master want to do more training or whatever with Gabumon? Or maybe – he knew he shivered at the thought. Since he had those Evil Spirals now, would he want to use them on V-mon? Daisuke didn’t want that. He didn’t think it would be necessary. 

“Look.” 

Kaiser's hands moved away from him. A few moments later an image appeared before him. It took Daisuke a few moments before he fully grasped what he saw: Ishida Yamato in what could only be a small area here in the fortress, chained, and as far as Daisuke could tell, absolutely furious. 

“I saw him searching for his partner,” Kaiser murmured, “and I decided that it would be so amusing to have him here to witness everything first hand. Tomorrow you should be recovered enough to face him.” 

Daisuke hadn’t ever really _thought_ about doing anything like that. He’d daydreamed a few times about it, about all of the Chosen being terribly upset at his change of heart, but he hadn’t devoted any time to thinking about actually meeting them. To be face to face with Ishida Yamato sent more and more chills through him. 

_His brother spent all that time in amber because of me. Because I hurt Master. Because it took so long for me to understand Master._

But he also knew that denying what his Master wanted wasn’t possible for him. He tilted his head into an agreeing motion. “Of course, Master.” 

His agreement won a brush of Kaiser’s hand near his collar, that gentle touch telling him that he’d done right. “I believe it’s time for something to eat.” 

Daisuke wriggled a little more, trying to get into the best approximation of his kneeling position that he could. His stomach grumbled loudly. He didn’t quite remember when he’d eaten last, but he thought it had been before the whole mess with capturing Gabumon. If it hadn’t been for the burning, he would have already eaten something – his Master usually made certain he ate well. His Master made certain, as always, that he was taken care of on every level. 

_Because I’m his. I belong to him._ And the Kaiser took care of what was his. 

It didn’t matter who he had to talk to. Nothing that any of the Chosen had to say would change his mind. If he thought about it – and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to – he looked forward to talking to Ishida. 

But he didn’t think Ishida would ever look forward to talking to him. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** So, Daisuke’s going to actually talk to a human who isn’t Kaiser for the first time in months. Bets on how this goes?


	34. Chapter 34

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke}} **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 34-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,843|| **Total Words:** 58,133  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

“Send him water,” Kaiser ordered. He could hear Wormmon’s pods scuffling off but didn’t watch him. His attention remained on the screen before him, where Ishida Yamato stopped screaming in rage only because his throat wouldn’t allow him anymore. 

A lovely sight, such fury. It reminded him of Daisuke on some level, at least how Daisuke had been months earlier. To make it even sweeter, he hadn’t done anything at all to engineer it, just showing Ishida a few of those simple conversations between himself and Daisuke. 

He did, however, leave off a few things, such as how much of a firm hand Daisuke needed in the beginning, the bruises and scrapes, and how he’d locked Daisuke in the dark for days at a time. But those were points he didn’t think anyone else needed to know. All visible evidence healed up long since, save for Daisuke’s unyielding devotion to him. 

Kaiser glanced to where Daisuke dozed. It wasn’t the full sleep of before, but enough so that when he woke up, Daisuke would be ready to visit the captive alongside of him. 

Hm. Kaiser considered that thought. A certain goal remained clear before him. Would visiting Ishida together get what he wanted? 

He turned the thought over in his head before making up his mind. A few gestures over the keyboard ensured that Daisuke wouldn’t wake up until he’d returned. He did, after all, want to be sure that Daisuke healed very well. The cream did a fantastic job but Kaiser refused to push matters too far. 

Kaiser waited just long enough to ensure that Wormmon delivered enough water and Ishida drank it. He hadn’t given Wormmon any orders on whether or not to speak to the human, but he thought Wormmon knew him well enough not to go against his wishes. 

He might have hesitated on the water if he didn’t want to speak to Ishida again regardless. This wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if Ishida couldn’t scream at him.

Once Wormmon left and hurried back to watch over Daisuke, Kaiser stepped into the cell. He recognized the scene playing now – a simple quiet scene of Daisuke on his knees next to Kaiser’s chair. The expression of contentment when Kaiser awarded him a soothing touch could not be described. He’d never looked that way before. The look of someone who finally found the place where he belonged. 

As the door opened and Kaiser entered, his absolute dominance of the situation displayed in every step that he took, Ishida dragged his head up. He’d been there for hours – overnight, in fact. His eyes were puffy and red from lack of sleep and Kaiser wondered if those were tracks of tears. A soft twitch of rage flickered under Ishida’s pale skin. 

_He’s angry because he’s seen what he did and he hates that someone pointed it out to him instead of letting it keep on going._

“You’re a monster,” Ishida spat the words out with so much acidic loathing that Kaiser found himself surprised that it didn’t burn through the chains all by itself. 

But he smiled regardless. This was exactly what he wanted, even better than the first time they’d spoken. “Really? What makes you say that?” He wasn’t going to take someone else’s word for a description of himself, especially not an enemy. No matter how accurate it might be. 

“You lied – you lied to Daisuke! You told him - ” Ishida shook his head over and over, words failing him. Really, for a musician, that was a horrible failing. 

Kaiser raised one hand as if in surprise. “You shouldn’t say things like that. Accusing me of something like that can get you into trouble around here.” His hand dropped down to the ever-present whip at his belt. “Whatever makes you think that I would lie when the truth can serve me so much better?” 

He allowed himself a flash of a smile. “Or would you rather keep convincing yourself that you’ve done no wrong? That everything you did – in such a short span of time as well – ended up driving him to me when the opportunity presented itself?” 

“You’re lying!” Ishida snapped again. “I never – I never meant it like that! Where’s Gabumon?” 

“You didn’t?” Kaiser gestured towards the screen, which faded, then shifted at once to show the younger team on the hillside to one of those Digimon places, Ishida shouting at Daisuke, followed heartbeats later by the younger Yagami doing the same thing. He’d observed this scene so often that he could have recited it in his sleep, both the original and the way he’d modified it ever so slightly for Daisuke’s benefit. 

“You didn’t mean to say that you’d beat him up if you were his older brother if he told the _truth_?” Daisuke made it plain to him – he and his sister didn’t get along. Therefore, truth had been spoken, and Ishida refused to believe. 

Ishida’s mouth worked up and down for a few moments. “That’s not what I meant.” He jerked his head to the screen. “I said it right there. I wouldn’t do it. Now where’s _Gabumon_?” 

“But you spoke those words. You told him to be careful – you favored someone you barely know – someone you still don’t know – someone who _praised your looks and your talent_ above someone who was also Chosen to protect this world. Just like you were. Someone whom you believed was meant to be your teammate.” Kaiser savored every word he spoke, each tiny dagger he buried inside of Ishida’s heart. He heard every demand for information about Gabumon, heard and ignored them. That would come in due time. “Did it ever once occur to you that not all siblings care for one another the way that you and yours do?” 

Kaiser frowned for a heartbeat at his own words. Something about that seemed – off didn’t feel the right way about it. But as if he’d walked onto uneven territory without being aware of it. It had been so long since he’d felt anything like that he hardly recognized the sensation. 

_It’s nothing important,_ he reminded himself before circling around Ishida. He knew that he’d once had a sibling – he hadn’t forgotten the shrine in his parents’ apartment. He simply chose not to think about it. His brother wasn’t an issue anymore, nor was how Kaiser felt about him, or had once felt about him. 

He understood Daisuke’s feelings about his sister far more than he’d ever let Daisuke know. And now he shoved it all aside in favor of slicing tiny chunks out of Ishida Yamato. 

“Tell me, do you know her any better now? It’s been months since I took Daisuke into my home. You told his family a lie to cover your tracks. Understandable, of course. But did you ever confess the truth? Even attempt to get to know her better?” 

Ishida’s breath came faster and faster as he twisted, trying to watch the Kaiser and not being able to succeed. The chains kept him from moving too much. But Kaiser knew if he were released, then Ishida would do his best to attack him. That wouldn’t happen. Not now. 

“She’s not a Chosen. She isn’t allowed here. _You_ should know that if you’re a Chosen!” Ishida finally growled with another shake of his head. Kaiser smiled. He wondered if somehow Ishida had a script of what he wanted to have happen. He certainly followed what Kaiser wanted, knowingly or not. 

“Oh, I know. But if you won’t break the rules for a _friend_ , then who would you break them for?” Kaiser stared into those blazing bright blue eyes. “But you didn’t answer me. Did you tell her anything? Even another comforting lie? Does she have any idea that the brother she doesn’t care about hasn’t even thought about her in weeks? That he has _far_ better ways to spend his time than trying to stay on the good side of someone who accepted the first deception offered to ignore him and never tried to find out the truth?” 

Ishida said nothing. He didn’t have to. The way his head dropped away, the guilt written large across every feature he had, his shoulders slumping. All of those said everything that needed to be said. 

Kaiser could hardly wait to show Daisuke _this_. In truth, he hadn’t even asked what Daisuke thought about these last few weeks. He presumed it was whatever Daisuke thought would please him and that certainly wasn’t anything to do with his family on Earth. 

“Daisuke belongs to me now. I had to be convincing, but it wasn’t difficult. He gave himself to me once he understood that none of you cared where _he_ was. And none of you did, did you?” 

Kaiser leaned in. He could see the rage flickering again, beginning to rise in blue flames fit to scorch the stars. “And even if you did, what could you do about it? He swore to stay with me and he kept his vow. Would you have made him break it?” 

“A promise to you? In a heartbeat!” Ishida lashed outward. Kaiser only smiled, though his own fury seethed behind his facade. How _dare_ they even think about taking Daisuke away from him? 

But they hadn’t. They couldn’t. They wouldn’t. “You’ll find that harder than you think. Oh, perhaps in the beginning you could have. But not now. Not when he’d give his life up for me – as he gave it _to_ me for your worthless brother and the rest. When you go back – and you will, rest assured about that – tell them all. Tell them about who Daisuke is now, and how much he enjoys being what he is. They’ll believe you over me.” 

Kaiser turned away from Ishida. “Perhaps I am a monster. I’ve been called worse things. But I take care of what’s mine and that’s more than _you_ could ever say. You take care of those few whom you deem worthy and if others don’t come up to _your_ standards, then you cast them aside.” 

Kaiser wondered what sort of paltry excuses ran around in Ishida’s head right now. Perhaps he’d hear a few of them when Daisuke entered. But one more statement needed uttering. He glanced over his shoulder. 

“Daisuke belongs to me. He enjoys it. He _loves_ it. He eats from my hand, every day. He sleeps in a room in my own quarters. Everything that he has, I’ve given to him and he’s earned it. I take care of him. And he obeys me because he wants to. He will never be one of you again. Even if he left here, he’d never be yours again – if he ever was.” 

Kaiser made certain he caught Ishida's gaze with his own. “And it’s _all your fault_.” 

He didn’t wait to see the reaction. He simply spun on his heel and stalked out of the cell, the door slamming behind him, cutting off the first words of whatever pathetic shouting Ishida tried to throw after him. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**  
 **Notes:** And we move farther along, closer to the end. I’ve actually been thinking about doing an alternate take on Ken’s backstory for this. Dark Spore optional. As for if Ken is aware of the truth of the Digital World – that will be revealed by the end. Though let’s be fair, he _always_ thinks he knows the truth. Whether he does or not is anyone’s guess – except mine. I already know!


	35. Chapter 35

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke}} **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 35-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,763|| **Total Words:** 59,900  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** I’m going into hiding until this story is done. You’ll understand why, I’m sure.

* * *

Daisuke moved carefully, taking time with his steps. His back didn’t itch quite so much now – the full week Kaiser-sama initially predicted hadn’t yet passed, but he could move around. He hated being this slow, though. Bad enough that his movements had been curtailed by his master’s stern rulings since his arrival here. This made it all the much harder. 

Steam boiled beneath Daisuke’s skin, just ready and waiting for the right moment to blow off. 

That time wasn’t yet, though. Not the way that he wanted it to be. What he wanted to do was run and jump, to run until he could breathe no more, to jump until he touched the sky, to feel all that fire that bubbled up inside of him. He’d let it out before in games and in battle. Now he needed to find a new outlet. 

_Maybe Kaiser-sama will let me fight them?_ Daisuke still wasn’t certain if he wanted to do that. But he did know without a doubt if Kaiser-sama ordered, then he’d do it. His wants aligned with his Master’s now. 

And speaking of his Master, they moved side by side through the steel corridors, destination the cell where Ishida Yamato was being kept. Kaiser-sama told him little of what he’d spoken to the prisoner about before, only that Ishida reacted about like how Kaiser-sama expected him to. 

A tiny flicker of a worry existed in Daisuke’s heart now, though, and while Kaiser-sama led him through the corridors, leash held loosely in his hand, Daisuke glanced at him now and then worriedly. He hoped that it didn’t show on his face, but even if it didn’t, he couldn’t hide things. He’d never had the knack of it even before all of this. 

They came to a stop outside of a door guarded by a couple of Gazimon – Kaiser-sama used those for internal guards often, he’d noticed. Neither moved as Kaiser stood there and opened the door. They were there to keep the prisoner in, not their master out. 

Kaiser glanced back at him, one eyebrow quirked. “Are you ready?” 

Daisuke breathed in and out, his heart beating a little faster. He didn’t remember how long it had been since he’d last spoken to anyone who wasn’t his master, let alone to one of the Chosen that he hated more than any of the others. 

He wasn’t very experienced with hating. He didn’t think that he liked it very much. It set a sour taste in the back of his throat and made his hands shake. But now he squared up his shoulders and nodded. 

“Yes, Master.” 

Kaiser-sama brushed his fingers through Daisuke’s hair in the familiar gesture of praise, a tiny tilt of a smile to his lips. “Now, remember. He’ll try to lie to you. It wouldn’t be the first time, would it?” 

Daisuke shook his head. He’d figured that out a long time ago. “I know better than to listen to him, Master.” Or to anyone who wasn’t his Master. Whatever they had to say didn’t mean anything at all. 

Kaiser-sama stepped through the door, Daisuke dutifully following him. There wasn’t much else to look at on the other side, so his gaze naturally fell on the chained blond. Ishida Yamato raised his head the moment they entered, staring at them, eyes moving from Kaiser to Daisuke and back again. 

“Daisuke...” His voice trembled a little as he spoke the name and he started to yank at his chains. The bruises on his wrists showed that he’d done this before. 

Daisuke could’ve told him that it wouldn’t do any good. When Kaiser wanted to keep someone, then they stayed kept, regardless of what they wanted. 

Ishida tried to steady himself with a visible breath before he jerked his attention back to Kaiser. “ _Where’s Gabumon_?” 

“I’ve told you already. You’ll see him when I’m ready for you to see him. That isn’t now. Now I’m ready for you to see Daisuke.” 

Kaiser reached over and neatly unclipped the leash. Daisuke took a single step forward, glad that he didn’t feel as unsteady as he feared he would. He swallowed a bit and cleared his throat. 

“Hi.” 

Awkward. Very awkward. But he wasn’t in the habit of talking to other people anymore and talking to people who weren’t his Master seemed so _strange_ now. He started again. 

“Master said he’ll let you go. Eventually, I guess.” Daisuke offered a small smile. “You can trust Master. I do.” 

Ishida looked at him, horror rising with every word. “Daisuke – what did he do to you?” He shook his head before he glared harder at Kaiser. “What did _you_ do to him?” 

Kaiser smiled. Daisuke shivered at that; it was like those early smiles Kaiser-sama displayed, the ones that meant Kaiser-sama wasn’t at all happy. Only worse, because he _was_ happy, a horrid terrifying happiness that would hurt someone else – and in those days that someone else had always been Daisuke. 

_Not now. Not anymore. He’ll only hurt me if I deserve it and I don’t now._

It had been so long since that even happened that Daisuke only vaguely remembered that he could be hurt if Kaiser-sama just decided that he should be. But for now he knew that if either of the two of them were to be punished, it would be Ishida Yamato, not him. 

He wanted to feel bad about that. Sort of. In the deep back of his mind, a day on a mountainside flickered, with this blond yelling at him, and then V-mon being punished to help _him_ , to try to cheer him up. 

That didn’t seem right. It hadn’t seemed right then and it didn’t now. 

“I think I’ll show you. What I haven’t shown you yet, at least.” Kaiser raised his hands and his keyboard appeared underneath them. Daisuke didn’t have the fainest idea of how he did that. But he didn’t know a lot about how Kaiser-sama did anything. He just _did_ it. 

On the wall in front of Ishida, a hologram appeared: a video recording of a day Daisuke seldom thought of anymore. Here it showed that last game he’d played and how he’d injured his Master – not his Master _then_ but his Master all the same. 

Did the Chosen even know what his Master’s old identity had been? Was? Daisuke vaguely recalled a mention to the effect that Kaiser-sama abandoned the human world. It hadn’t mattered to him then and it mattered even less now. 

The recording shifted, now showing the others being sucked down into the sands, captured. Daisuke held back a shiver, his fingers tightening into fists. He refused to look away. He knew what would happen next and he knew that Ishida would yell about it. 

He’d deserved the pain back then. He’d been so _stupid_. Master taught him otherwise, taught him better. 

It unrolled before them – the other Chosen and V-mon caught in Kaiser-sama’s amber, Daisuke surrendering himself for their sake, Kaiser-sama taking him to the fortress. It ended there. 

Ishida's breath came fast and furious as he glared at them both. “No. You’re lying. You’re _lying_. I don’t know where V-mon is, but _that’s not true_.” 

Kaiser-sama tilted his head, then glanced at Daisuke, that ghost of a smile on his lips before he turned back to the prisoner. “Oh? What makes you say that?” 

“I think I’d _know_ if my brother didn’t come home for days on end!” 

Kaiser-sama tilted his head back before he looked to Daisuke. “I was under the impression that they didn’t live together. Weren’t you?” 

Daisuke frowned, dragging those few thoughts from the back of his mind. “They don’t – I mean, they didn’t.” He worried at his lip for a few seconds. “Maybe they do now?” He’d been gone for months. That could’ve changed. 

“That doesn’t matter! Miyako and Iori, Hikari, their partners, all of them – they weren’t in amber anywhere! I talked to them _that day_!” Ishida struggled harder in the chains, the clanking echoing off the walls. “We figured you took Daisuke even back then!” 

He stared at Daisuke. “We’ve been _looking_ for you! Did you think we wouldn’t?” 

_It sounds like he means it,_ Daisuke thought. He shook his head, heartrate picking up, remembering long-gone pain and sorrow. “No. I didn’t.” 

Ishida stopped for a few seconds, staring even more than before, red-rimmed eyes wide, chest heaving up and down. “Why wouldn’t we?” 

“Because you don’t like me,” Daisuke replied without a scrap of hesitation. “You guys only hung out with me because I had the Digimental of Courage. If someone else had it, you’d work with them. It wasn’t _me_.” 

That got a few more moments of Ishida staring like a gape-mouthed fish. He started to shake his head, but Daisuke wasn’t really done yet. 

“Even if you did like me, even if Kaiser-sama lied to me – I don’t care anymore.” He stared right at Ishida, speaking every word from his heart. “He’s my Master now. I don’t want to go back.” 

His head swiveled around to face Kaiser-sama. “I belong to you.” 

Kaiser-sama gave him another brush of the fingers across him, a pleased smile across his lips. “Mine forever, Daisuke?” 

“Forever,” Daisuke agreed without another thought. He turned back to Ishida. “When you go back, tell them all that – that I belong to him and I’m _happy_ like this.” 

Ishida couldn’t seem to bring anything more than confused murmurings to his lips. He shook his head over and over. All that seemed to make sense was just the single word of _no_. 

His Master nudged Daisuke toward the door. “Let’s go.” He didn’t even turn a glance towards Ishida as they stepped back outside. Daisuke didn’t either. As the door began to close, he could hear Ishida finally starting to yell again, but it didn’t make a lot of sense. 

He had something else on his mind as he turned toward his Master, one question on his lips. “Master – if you don’t mind-” He swallowed and steadied himself. He needed to know. Even if it didn't’ matter, he needed to know. “Did you lie to me? Were they really here or not?” 

He couldn’t keep on looking at his Master’s face. His gaze dropped down to the floor; he spent more time looking at that than at his Master’s face regardless. He started to slide to his knees, not caring that they stood in the center of the hallway. 

But his Master stopped him. His Master tilted his head up so Daisuke looked into his eyes. 

“Does it matter?” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I have fled and none of you can find me. Please note I _did_ hint at this with one simple fact: Daisuke has never _touched_ the Chosen in amber. Kaiser can create vivid holograms that can fool everything _but_ touch. Now, as for V-mon, that will be touched on next chapter.


	36. Chapter 36

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke}} **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 36-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,765|| **Total Words:** 61,665  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** N/A

* * *

Kaiser smiled in approval as Daisuke shook his head. Exactly what he’d hoped for. No, it didn’t matter whether or not he’d lied – in many different ways, to achieve his goals. But he did want to reassure Daisuke on one point. 

“Come with me,” he ordered, slipping his hand around Daisuke’s leash. Daisuke followed tamely, keeping up easily enough. He didn’t ask what his Master had in mind. Daisuke only asked important questions now, relating to whatever it was his master wanted him to do. 

As far as Kaiser was concerned, the annoying pest Daisuke had once been didn’t exist anymore and never would again. In his place was this delicious submissive obedient slave, an extension of Kaiser’s own will, now and forever. 

He guided Daisuke to the storage area where he’d once set up the holographic illusion of the younger Chosen. Daisuke hadn’t touched any of them then and he wouldn’t now. At least not without Kaiser’s permission. 

Daisuke’s eyes flicked from here to there in the room, then back to Kaiser, vague hints of curiosity in his expression before his attention settled back on the one chunk of amber in the room that wasn’t a hologram. 

He swallowed, shoulders tensing up. “Master?” 

“This way.” Kaiser led him over to the amber and rested one hand on it. Daisuke came up behind him, staring at it, fingers twitching for a few heartbeats. Kaiser held his hand out expectantly. Daisuke carefully set his hand into his Master’s and waited. 

Kaiser brought it over to rest on the amber. Daisuke’s eyes widened even more as he pressed his fingers against it. 

“V-mon,” he murmured, taking in the sight of his partner as if it had been a thousand years since he’d seen him, instead of a couple of months. He jerked his eyes back to Kaiser, a sudden wild hope burning in them. “C-can I – would you – is he ” 

Kaiser understood what Daisuke wanted to ask. Part of him entertained the temptation of telling him no, that Daisuke hadn’t earned it yet. But he had. He’d earned it by those heartfelt words he’d spoken to Ishida, by the fact that he’d thrown himself into danger to protect his Master. 

“Step back,” he ordered, indicating where he wanted Daisuke to go. Daisuke obeyed at once, all but trembling, his eyes never leaving the amber. Kaiser called up his keyboard with a sweep of his hands and in a few heartbeats his fingers flew over the keys. 

Being in the Digital World offered several perks, chief of which at the moment was that certain rules could be suspended if one knew how to manipulate the code of the world properly. If he wanted to, he could have created a Digimon of his own – piecing together what he wanted from various Digimon to make a greater whole. He’d entertained the notion for a time, but now with Daisuke at his side, he didn’t think that he needed it anymore. 

But if one could create life, then it wasn’t that difficult to suspend life as well. Under most circumstances, a creature sealed up into amber would perish. That was common knowledge. 

But with his knowledge and the way that the Digital World worked, he could change that. He could – and had – keep a creature in suspended animation for as long as he desired. He did so hope that there wouldn’t be any unfortunate side effects. 

The amber around V-mon slowly faded away, leaving the Digimon hanging in the air for a few seconds before he dropped, crashing downward. Daisuke moved, going over to him and scooping him into his arms before Kaiser could say a word. 

Kaiser cast a quick inspection over the small blue Digimon; so far as he could ensure that V-mon remained in excellent shape. Perhaps a little confused, if the way he barely moved said anything, but otherwise exactly as he’d gone into the amber. 

“Take him to your quarters,” Kaiser ordered. He paused for a heartbeat, another flicker of thought occurring to him. “Do you want a larger room? I can provide one for you.” He thought Daisuke might enjoy not sleeping more or less in his Master’s closet. 

But Daisuke shook his head, holding V-mon close to him. “No, Master. Not unless you don’t want me there anymore.” His eyes shifted up towards Kaiser’s and then away again. “I’m used to it. It’s comfortable there.” 

Kaiser titled his head forward. “Very well. I’ll allow it.” Truth to be told, he enjoyed having Daisuke that close to him. He reached out and coiled the leash around his hand. “Let’s go.” 

Kaiser wondered what the Chosen would think of the sight of Daisuke following him around on the leash would be. Ishida certainly hadn’t enjoyed it – the more fool he, for it was a lovely sight indeed. Perhaps he’d find out later. 

But for now he headed back to his room and indicated for Daisuke to rest along with his partner. 

“I’ll deal with your back later. You’re not feeling any pain, are you?” 

Daisuke looked as if he were about to deny it. Kaiser could clearly see the hints of weariness in his eyes though, and the strain he’d put himself through doing everything since he’d left the infirmary. He frowned sternly before a word could escape Daisuke’s lips and his slave at once nodded, slow and cautious. 

“A little. It’s not really that bad, Master. I can manage.” 

Kaiser nodded towards the tiny closet. “Rest. That should take care of it.” He waited just long enough for Daisuke to go inside and stretch both himself and his partner out on the bed before he closed and locked the door. That was more for his own peace of mind than any fear that Daisuke would attempt to run away. He refused to let anyone try to release his slave, and he _did_ have a Chosen in the fortress. 

Once he’d reassured himself that Daisuke was safely taken care of, he returned to the control room, considering his next steps. He looked forward to using Dark Lizamon to shred some of the more stubborn centers of Digimon resistance, preferably while his partner watched helplessly. But as always, the thought of the other Digimentals lurked in the back of his mind. 

_The Digimental of Friendship is the closest one,_ he determined, double checking the results from his endless scans of the past few months. _The Digimental of Faith is out in the ocean. I’ll send a few of my sea-going forces for that one. And Purity is near Digitamamon’s restaurant._

All of them were guarded to one degree or another. The Chosen had been more interested in trying to find Daisuke – or so he presumed – for the last month or two, and fighting his enslaved Digimon whenever they crossed paths. If they wanted to track the Digimentals, they weren't doing a good job of it. 

He considered all of his options. He’d done enough waiting. What he wanted was to defeat the Chosen once and for all. He made his plans carefully, thinking over all that Daisuke told him about the Chosen, and considering what kind of information he could scrape out of Ishida. 

He would have to wait just another day or two, unfortunately. His new Spirals wouldn’t be ready until then, at the earliest, and then he would test them on Gabumon. With Ishida there; that had been the whole point of taking the human captive in the first place. 

_That reminds me._ Again his fingers ghosted over the keys and brought up the recordings of the Chosen wandering in the woods after his capture of Ishida. 

“First Gabumon and now Yamato,” Yagami groaned, slamming one of his fists into a tall, thick tree. “What does that jerk think he’s doing?” 

Kaiser raised an eyebrow. _A jerk? Is that all he thinks of me as?_ He would have to improve that. He would far prefer Ishida’s moniker of ‘monster’ or something more impressive such as ‘Kaiser’. He wouldn’t have objected to being called ‘master’ by all of the Chosen. 

Though it still sounded sweetest when said by Daisuke. 

“We’re going to get them back,” his little sister promised. So did the younger blond – Takaishi Takeru. Kaiser seldom bothered to keep all their names straight, at least for the older ones. With only four for the youngers, it wasn’t that difficult. He just normally chose not to. 

The violet-haired girl stared off into the area around them. “What would he want with them, though?” 

“We still don’t know why he caught Daisuke and won’t give him back.” The smallest one murmured. 

Oh, that was right, wasn’t it? He’d never really told them his reasons, nor had he allowed Daisuke to do so either. All they knew, all he’d allowed them to know, was that Daisuke belonged to him because he wanted to. 

He leaned back in his chair and watched as they wandered, not really close to anything important that he wanted to keep them away from. But that didn’t stop him from sending out a small contingent of slave Digimon. It would be amusing to watch this, and he needed something to occupy his attention until the Spirals were ready. 

Then he smiled. He didn’t have anything else to do at the moment. Why _not_? He gave the orders. 

By the time his slaves were ready to attack the Chosen, Ishida had been brought into the room, wrists bound behind him with thick chains, feet chained the same way to prevent him from taking more than tiny steps. The way he glared at Kaiser made Kaiser enjoy this all the more. 

“I thought you would enjoy the show,” he said, gesturing for Ishida to get on the floor. He’d made sure to remove Daisuke’s cushion. Ishida didn’t deserve something like that. 

Of course, Ishida kept on his feet, glaring as if he thought he could set Kaiser on fire by doing so. Kaiser watched his monitors instead. The view there was far more interesting. 

Ishida seemed to as well, for the first few moments, until it dawned on him exactly what he was looking at. 

“Taichi… Takeru… what are you _doing_?” Ishida all but howled the words, attempting to surge forward. Kaiser barely had to gesture before the Digimon who led Ishida into the room hauled back on the chains, keeping him from attacking. 

“I’m doing what I always do – attack my enemies.” Kaiser smiled a very satisfied smile. “And unless you calm down, I’ll see to it that you attack them as well.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I am ever so innocently whistling.


	37. Chapter 37

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 37-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,775|| **Total Words:** 63,440  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** A long-awaited reunion?

* * *

Daisuke curled up on his bed, V-mon in his lap, and stroked his partner’s head, trying not to tremble. He’d not had the faintest idea of how much he missed V-mon until his partner lay in his arms once again. V-mon breathed in and out, looking more as if he were sleep than anything else, and Daisuke wondered how long it would be until he woke up. 

_What do I tell him?_ He had no idea of how much V-mon had been aware of what was going on. Did he know much time had passed? Did he have any idea of what Daisuke had gone through? 

How would he react to the fact Daisuke now blissfully served his master? V-mon would still hate the Kaiser. Daisuke couldn’t even get his head wrapped around such a concept. He knew that he’d hated him once. But not anymore. 

V-mon stirred. Daisuke drew himself up and watched, heart caught in his throat, as V-mon shifted around a little, then slowly opened his eyes. He blinked once, twice, again, attention focused above him. 

“Daisuke!” V-mon chirped, wriggling until he got to his feet, and threw his arms around Daisuke’s neck. “Daisuke, you’re all right!” He hugged as hard as he could. “I knew you would be! The Kaiser can’t stop you! You beat him, didn’t you? I know you did!” 

Daisuke flinched, dropping his eyes. He hated the thought of disappointing V-mon. He knew that he’d changed. That much hadn’t. 

“V-mon…” Daisuke swallowed. “V-mon, we need to talk. It’s been – a while.” 

V-mon stared at him for several long moments. “Huh? But you don’t ” He blinked again, “You look a little different – but you’re still Daisuke.” He rested one blue hand on Daisuke’s arm. “Where did you get those clothes?” 

Daisuke’s heart stuttered in his chest. “M-master. He gave them to me.” 

Now V-mon stared at him even harder, confusion rising. “Daisuke? What are you talking about?” He glanced around the room, probably trying to figure out where they were, as his next question showed. “Where are we? This isn’t your room.” 

“It is now. I live here now. We’re in the Digital World.” Daisuke bit his lip, thinking. “I belong to the Kaiser now, V-mon.” Saying it warmed him inside. It felt so _right_ , even as V-mon recoiled ever so slightly, staring at him as if he’d said something wrong. 

“Daisuke...” 

Daisuke heaved a huge breath. “It’s been – I don’t know. Months. Three or four months since that day.” He shuddered in memory, though if it were because of remembering how harsh and rough Kaiser-sama had been to him or not, he wasn’t sure. He reminded himself, as he so often did, that as long as he obeyed, Kaiser-sama wouldn’t hurt him and would, in fact, praise him. 

It wasn’t as if he were praised all that often before now. He’d never known how much he wanted it until he started getting it. 

V-mon kept on staring at him, his mouth open, eyes round and wide and confused. Daisuke drew in a very deep breath this time. He wasn’t sure of what his master was doing, but it had to be more important than this, something that he could do himself. 

“When it first got started, I hated him. You know I did. But I had to do what he said, because he had – I thought he had everyone else. And you.” Daisuke trembled. He knew that it didn’t matter; he’d made his peace with that. But remembering it, hearing those words being told to someone else, sent a faint twist of _something_ through him that he didn’t like all that much. 

V-mon didn’t say anything else. Just kept on staring at him, and Daisuke continued, telling of how his master had been so strict on him, punished him when he stepped out of line, taught him to be good and obedient and to please his master. 

Even more so, Kaiser slowly showed him how the others hated him and weren’t that interested in finding him again, except as a warrior to have on their side, not as a friend who needed their help. 

His eyes pricked with tears at those words and he swallowed hard. “I wish they didn’t,” he whispered, so quiet that only V-mon could have heard, even if his master had been right there. “But that’s over with. I don’t belong to them anymore. I belong to my master.” 

V-mon leaned closer and Daisuke could feel tears falling on him, V-mon’s tears. “I wish I’d been here for you, Daisuke,” he murmured. “I think you’re wrong, though. I think they do like you. I mean, you heard all of that stuff from the _Kaiser_. How do you know he’s not lying to you?” 

Daisuke shifted a little more, eyes flicking to the door, wondering if his master were anywhere near. Probably not; he’d been told to take care of V-mon and his master could watch him from the control room if he really wanted to. There wasn’t a single moment or place where he wasn’t under that comforting gaze. 

A tiny flicker murmured deep in his heart, a minuscule breath that murmured he shouldn’t have to be. He tried not to pay attention to it. Kaiser-sama watched him to _protect_ him, not like before, when Daisuke needed to be watched so he wouldn’t disobey. 

“I don’t know that. Because he has,” Daisuke admitted. “He told me that he had everyone but you captive and he didn’t.” V-mon looked as if he were about to say something else but Daisuke kept on talking. “But that’s okay. He showed me what they’re really like – remember a few days before that soccer game? When we were in the mountains with everyone else, fighting those RedVeggimon?” 

V-mon nodded, still as confused as possible. Daisuke suspected he would be the same way if he’d gone through something like this. 

“Ishida kept yelling at me for things that weren’t my fault. My sister _does_ hate me and badmouths me. Just because he didn’t like to hear it doesn’t mean I was wrong.” Daisuke remembered the brush of his master’s hand against the back of his neck, above his collar. So comforting. So reassuring that he was finally _home_ where he belonged. “They didn’t know anything about Jun. I lived with her. So why should they yell at me because of that?” 

V-mon wibbled, before he leaned in closer. “But I’m still your friend, Daisuke. It doesn’t matter what happened.” 

“Yes, it does. I don’t like them, V-mon. I mean – I don’t want them to get hurt… a lot.” He essayed a brief smile. “But I want them to not think I’m wrong just because I’m different.” 

V-mon still didn’t look entirely convinced, but he snuggled closer to Daisuke. “I like you because you’re Daisuke.” 

“I know.” Daisuke wrapped an arm around V-mon. He wondered if V-mon were hungry and wondered then if it were the right time to ask. He couldn’t feed V-mon – he didn’t even feed himself. 

If V-mon were this upset over the way he’d cut ties with the Chosen and taken his place at his master’s feet, then what would he think of Daisuke accepting food only from the Kaiser’s hands? And how would V-mon eat? Would Kaiser-sama want Daisuke to feed him? Daisuke would do it, of course, but he _wondered_. 

“You’ll see what it’s like,” Daisuke promised. “Kaiser-sama has Ishida and Gabumon held here now. I helped, with Gabumon, at least.” 

V-mon’s eyes could not have gotten wider without actually making an effort for it. Ever since he’d ensured that Kaiser-sama captured Gabumon, he’d never felt a bit of guilt over it. But now with that look of V-mon’s, he couldn’t help but have the tiniest bit of wonder – had he done the right thing? 

_Yes, I did._ Daisuke reminded himself even more harshly of what really happened – how the Chosen preferred to hang out among each other and only associate with him because of his having the Digimental of Courage. 

_Miyako and Iori were friends. Hikari and Takeru were friends. I didn’t have anyone. They had more fun laughing at me._ Granted, he didn’t think they’d done it very long – because he’d only known them a month or so. There hadn’t been time. 

Now there never would be. He wasn’t going to complain. He’d found the place where he belonged. 

“What does he want with them?” V-mon murmured, unaware of whatever thoughts flicked through Daisuke’s mind. “Is he going to – to keep them?” 

Daisuke shook his head. “It’s only temporary. I don’t know when he wants to let them go, though. He’s creating a new thing – better than the Rings. Gabumon is his test subject, and he wanted Ishida to see what was going on with his partner.” 

V-mon said nothing for a few moments, staring at him with worry written all over his face. His voice was very soft when he finally did speak again. “You call him Ishida. You didn’t do that before.” 

“I don’t want to call him anything else. I don’t _like_ him.” Daisuke didn’t even attempt to hold back the rush of rage that poured through him just at the thought of Ishida Yamato. Those hurtful words rang vivid in his memories and forever would. 

He swallowed for a moment, trying to think of anything that would reassure V-mon and not sure if anything would. As hard as he tried, so many of his memories now consisted of either submitting to his master or the bubbling hatred that seethed through him at every thought of what the Chosen did to him or _didn’t_ do. None of it looked as if were something V-mon would really want to hear. 

So he decided on the next best thing. “I’m happy like this, V-mon. I really am. You – you shouldn’t attack Kaiser-sama, either. He’s been so good to me.” 

V-mon stared at him, as if such words made no sense to him. “There’s a collar around your neck. Did he give you that?” Daisuke nodded, raising one hand to stroke it. “And he took away your goggles?” 

“I gave them to him. And he has the D-3 and the D-Terminal. I don’t need them anymore.” 

That got another look. V-mon had given him so many looks since he woke up. Daisuke hoped he would start to understand soon. 

“So how am I going to evolve? We’re not just going to work for him, are we?” 

Daisuke didn’t say anything for so long that V-mon reached over to pat his face, worried. Daisuke finally smiled a little weakly. 

“I already do, V-mon.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I do hope everyone’s enjoying this. And now we’re onto the last ten chapters.


	38. Chapter 38

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 38-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,818|| **Total Words:** 65,258  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** So, who has wanted a battle?

* * *

Kaiser settled himself on AirDramon and gestured for Daisuke and Wormmon to join him. Once Daisuke settled at his feet, Kaiser wrapped his hand around the leash and tugged back for a moment, reassuring Daisuke as to his presence. Daisuke tilted his head back and stared up at him with worshipful eyes before he made himself comfortable again. 

AirDramon gripped Gabumon in his teeth, the new Evil Spiral gleaming around Gabumon’s arm. One of Kaiser’s DeviDramon carried Ishida, while V-mon settled himself at Daisuke’s feet. He’d given Kaiser several searching, untrusting looks once he and Daisuke emerged from the small room, but he hadn’t said anything directly to Kaiser. 

Kaiser gestured. “Let’s go!” 

Several AirDramon and DeviDramon lifted into the air and headed away towards the location that he’d deduced the Digimental of Friendship resided in. Exactly how it would be hidden or what one would have to do in order to retrieve it Kaiser wasn’t certain but he didn’t think it mattered right now. It hadn’t ever mattered at all. This was a journey to display some very specific facts to the Chosen. 

Before they started, Kaiser made certain the Chosen knew where they were going. He kept an eye on his Dark Digivice, pleased to see five signals aside from theirs heading right to the location. He presumed those were the remaining four younger Chosen and most likely Yagami Taichi. They should have brought more. They should have brought everyone. 

Not that it would do them a great deal of good in the end. 

He’d planned this battle with input from Daisuke. The Chosen wouldn’t find it quite so easy to deal with matters as many of the others they’d fought. 

His attention shifted for a heartbeat towards the DeviDramon carrying Ishida Yamato. Ishida himself sat cross-legged on the Digimon, a tight gag stuffed into his mouth and bound there with an extra band, his wrists and ankles both chained together, with enough slack chain so he could walk once he got back on the ground, but he wouldn’t be running away any time soon. Kaiser made certain that all of his needs had been taken care of before they left – his plans didn’t remotely include starvation, thirst, or lack of sleep. 

He’d done that plenty with Daisuke. Such methods wouldn’t be wasted on someone he didn’t intend to keep. 

His fingers brushed lightly against Daisuke’s hair and he turned back towards his favorite servant. Perhaps more than a servant now – at least if one took a good long look at what Daisuke wore. Kaiser held back a smile at that. Today was a very special day for so many reasons. 

Daisuke leaned closer to his touch, the faintest of shivers going through him at it. Kaiser couldn’t quite hear if he made a noise, but he thought that he heard one. At least, he wanted to hear it, to know that Daisuke understood where the only real pleasure in his life came from now. 

No one else wanted to do anything as simple as give him a comforting word. Kaiser would take from them what they didn’t want to keep. 

A soft mewl of a sound slid out from Daisuke’s lips. Kaiser chuckled. “You don’t want anyone else to hear that,” he scolded ever so gently. “Do you?” 

At once Daisuke shook his head, tucking his head down. “No, Master.” 

They would have to discuss this after the total conquest of the Digital World – or at least after defeating all of the Chosen Children today. Once they had everything that could interrupt out of the way. 

There the place loomed on the horizon, marked by the winding tracks of a train and several windswept bluffs. Even from here he could see the Chosen standing in a semi-circle, probably around the Digimental of Friendship. They were still too far for him to tell anything else but a few flickers of light gave away that they were evolving. 

_So we’ve been seen._ That didn’t disturb him. He’d planned this. He’d even planned for the potential acquisition of the Digimental of Friendship. No one knew who might get it, let alone what whoever claimed it could evolve their partner into. But his intentions were simple – no one else might be able to lift up the Digimental but no one said that he couldn’t have the whole area around the Digimental lifted and taken into custody. 

“Remember what we’ve planned,” Kaiser murmured to Daisuke as they swept over the land, drawing closer to the upcoming battle. “Are you ready?” 

“Absolutely, Master,” Daisuke replied without a moment’s hesitation. “I’ll make you proud of me.” 

Kaiser didn’t doubt that at all. He awarded Daisuke with another brief caress, just as the AirDramon and the rest of the troops headed downward. Before they even got close to the ground, the younger blond – Takaishi Takeru – shouted up at them. 

“Kaiser! Let my brother go!” 

_Is he seriously going to make it that easy?_ Kaiser held back on the smile that wanted to leap to his lips. Instead, he nodded towards AirDramon, who set Gabumon down near where Kaiser leapt a heartbeat later, followed by Daisuke. A gesture brought Ishida down to join them, glaring with hot scorching eyes. 

“Did you hear, Daisuke?” Kaiser purred, not bothering to answer. “Is there even a bit of doubt left?” 

Daisuke shook his head, worshipful gaze all on his Master. “No, Master.” 

Yagami Hikari and Yagami Taichi both shuddered at that. “What did you do to him?” The elder Yagami demanded. “Let him go too!” 

“Just an afterthought, is he? Only mentioned when you think that I’ve done something to him.” Of course, he’d done many things to Daisuke to encourage his change of loyalty. He wasn’t going to be ashamed of any of them. 

The smallest one, Hida Iori, and the tall girl, Inoue Miyako, both surged forward, their partners at their sides. “You heard them!” Hida said, a long makeshift kendo staff in his hands. It really far more resembled a stick than anything else. 

“Give us our friends back!” Inoue growled, fists clenched and eyes blazing. Kaiser couldn’t have been more amused. 

“Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I’ll return Ishida soon enough. There are a couple of things that I want to do first, though.” 

The younger Yagami glared at him. “What are you talking about? And we want Daisuke back, too!” 

“Oh, you’re not getting him back. I’m keeping him. And even better, he wants to be kept. Don’t you, Daisuke?” 

Daisuke barely even looked at the Chosen. His attention hadn’t wavered from Kaiser all this time. “Of course I do, Master.” 

Yagami Taichi’s gaze stuttered from Daisuke to Ishida. “Yamato – what’s going on? What’s he done to Daisuke?” 

All Ishida could do to answer was shake his head. Kaiser nudged Daisuke for a moment, and Daisuke quickly hurried over to remove Ishida’s gag, darting back to Kaiser’s side as soon as he was done. Kaiser thoroughly enjoyed the wide-eyed looks of shock this got from the Chosen. It made all the trouble he’d gone to so very worth it. 

Ishida coughed a little, glaring down at his bound wrists and feet before he raised his head to look at the elder Yagami. “I’m not even _sure_. He’s been lying to Daisuke, telling him that we never liked him and didn’t care about getting him back, and Daisuke _believes_ him!” 

“Because it wasn’t a lie,” Daisuke said. Kaiser raised an eyebrow; he hadn’t told Daisuke to say anything. It still amazed him how much loyalty his efforts engendered within his captive. 

No. Not a captive anymore. His willing, eager servant. Better than all the others he had, including Wormmon. At least Daisuke didn’t try to tell him that this was wrong and he should do something nice with his time. 

He rested one hand on Daisuke’s shoulder, so very proud. “We can discuss your failures some other time, idiots. I have something better in mind.” He raised his Dark Digivice and turned his attention towards Gabumon. “It’s time!” 

Dark energy flowed out of the Digivice and all over Gabumon and into the Evil Spiral wrapped firmly around one of his arms. Yamato screamed even louder than Gabumon did, pitching forward and thrashing. 

It wasn’t a light of evolution around Gabumon. It was a darkness. One too thick for anyone to see through, concealing the process. Kaiser knew what was going on, however. He’d seen it many times before when he’d ensured that Evil Spirals worked the way that he wanted them to. 

This wasn’t the evolution he’d once presumed it might be. He’d thought at first he would be able to create an evil form of WereGarurumon. That would have been amazing enough as it was, and he savored the chance to try again with some of the other Chosen’s partners. But what he did get more than satisfied him. 

A silver-furred paw stepped out of the shadows, followed by another one. Slowly the darkness dispersed, leaving behind a figure that stood perhaps as tall as DeviDramon’s shoulder, if not taller. Covered all over in thick white fur with glowing scarlet red eyes, sharp claws reaching outward, and a snarl hovering on their lips, the Evil Spiral still gleaming on the shoulder. A golden earring gleamed from the left ear, while a collar set with a black gem and black teeth hung around the neck. 

“L-Leomon?” Takaishi breathed the word out, taking a step back until his back rested against Pegasumon’s nose. “That can’t be -” 

Kaiser strode forward to stand beside his creation. “It isn’t. As I’m certain you saw – if you were paying attention to me instead of ignoring what I was doing – this is Gabumon’s evolution. Not the one that you expected, of course. But one that I created.” He rested a hand on the muscular arm. If he hadn’t been prepared for it, he might well have shivered. This was a very cold Digimon. 

“What did you do to Gabumon?” Yagami shouted, taking three quick steps forward before his gaze fell on Ishida, who hadn’t moved from his collapsed position. That also didn’t surprise Kaiser – he’d seen it before during the days he’d practiced with this. For a reason he hadn’t yet fathomed, it seemed dark evolving a Digimon who had a human partner affected the partner to a degree. 

Unfortunately it didn’t seem to bring the human under his control as well. That would have made his life that much easier. 

“And what did you do to Yamato!?” Yagami surged forward, fist raised. Kaiser didn’t so much as twitch. 

“If you would?” Kaiser murmured to the frozen Digimon. It wasn’t really a question. But he was answered regardless, as a frozen breath exploded outward, knocking all of the Chosen and their partners back. 

Kaiser offered a small chuckle at that. “Meet my newest servant – Panjamon.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** It took some effort to decide on this but in the end, I decided this was the most fitting. For so many reasons.


	39. Chapter 39

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 39-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,766|| **Total Words:** 67,024  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** More of their plan unfolds! But who is more surprised?

* * *

Daisuke’s breath caught at the sight of Panjamon. He’d seen the magnificent new evolution before; Kaiser-sama had been practicing with it ever since the Evil Spirals were completed. But there was something far different about seeing it in captivity in the fortress and seeing it out here against the Chosen. 

Taichi tried to get to his feet, even as he wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. His gaze moved rapidly between the Kaiser, Panjamon, Ishida, and Daisuke himself, settling on Daisuke. 

“Whatever he told you, you know it’s not true! We _have_ been looking for you, ever since he took you!” 

Daisuke wondered hwy Taichi thought that would matter anymore. Maybe it would have, once. In the beginning, when he’d believed in their friendship and that they cared about him. Before he’d heard them talking about how his imprisonment was such a burden to them, before Kaiser-sama ever so gently pointed out to him that their attachment to him lasted only so long as he were useful to them. 

Other memories flicked through, quick as a lash and just as painful: Taichi had mentioned once – when he thought Daisuke couldn’t hear him – that if Hikari had received her Digimental before Daisuke got his, then he would have given the goggles to her. That twisted like a knife inside of him. He’d held onto them so long – believed so hard, even when his master wanted him not to. 

Kaiser-sama’s hand brushed against him and Daisuke turned away from Taichi as if he didn’t exist anymore. So much as Daisuke cared, he didn’t. Not when his master stood there wanting his attention. 

“I think it’s time that you dealt with these.” Kaiser-sama murmured, dropping the goggles at Daisuke’s feet. He hadn’t seen them in so long – not since he’d emerged from the last stretch of solitary confinement, finally acknowledging who he was and who he would always belong to. Slowly he bent down and picked them up, turning them over in his hands. 

“Those are your goggles, Daisuke!” Taichi shouted. “He took them from you, didn’t he? That’s the kind of jerk that he is!” 

Daisuke’s eyes darted over there, rage unfolding within. “My master isn’t a _jerk_! And he didn’t take them from me! I _gave_ them to him! I don’t want them anymore – I’m not one of _you_ anymore!” 

One might have thought that he smacked every last one of them. They all stared as if he had, anyway. But Daisuke wasn’t done at all. He didn’t look at the goggles. He never wanted to see them again. 

But he threw them. He threw them at Hikari’s feet and spat words out that months ago he never thought that he would have. 

“If they mean so much to you, then you can have them. Your brother wanted to give them to you anyway. Now you can have them all you want.” 

Hikari stared at him, one hand raised to her mouth, and said nothing at all. Daisuke jerked his gaze back towards Taichi. 

“I don’t care if he’s lying or not. Especially because he’s _not_.” Daisuke pointed to Ishida, who hadn’t moved more than the barest bits since Kaiser-sama forced his evolution. “Don’t you remember? Just before all of this started, when we were in the mountains, _he_ started yelling at me because I don’t like Jun. And so did _you_. No one lied to me about that. It’s what you did.” 

Hikari started to shake her head. Daisuke didn’t even have to send a pleading look to his master. The recording popped up bright and clear, repeating the moment as if it had just happened. 

“You’re the ones responsible for V-mon being hurt by that RedVegimon that day,” Daisuke declared, casting a moment’s glance towards his partner. “He wanted to prove he was my friend and to cheer me up, after what _you_ said. It’s _all your fault_ because you decided I had to be just like _you_ or I wasn’t _good enough_!” 

In all of his life Daisuke hadn’t ever considered saying anything like that before. But now the words poured out and he welcomed the peace that followed. The words hurt them; he wasn’t so sure if he liked that. But they were still true words, truer words than any he’d spoken to them since before he’d been taken by his master. 

“I’m not like you,” Daisuke continued. “Jun and I never had to be like you. And I never will be.” 

Hikari swallowed, staring at him. She hadn’t moved to take the goggles; probably too shocked. Panjamon stood still, awaiting Kaiser-sama’s next order. Kaiser-sama just stood and watched, a very proud smile breaking all over his face. 

“I’m never coming back. I’m staying with my master. You can tell my family whatever you want, I don’t care. It’s not like they miss me anyway.” 

“They do,” Miyako spoke before anyone else could even attempt a word. She shifted forward, eyes darting to Hikari before back to Daisuke. “I heard Jun talking to my big sister Momoe the other day. I didn’t even know they knew each other, but I guess they’re friends. But your sister – she’s been worried about you. They haven’t heard anything from you in so long.” 

Daisuke snorted. “That’s a lie right there. One of you told them that I was staying with you. Did you ever tell them differently.” 

Quick glances shot among the group, each one as confused as they could be. Miyako turned back to him, but before she could utter a lie – or even some twisted form of the truth – Kaiser-sama stepped forward. 

“As entertaining as this is, and it really is, you have no idea, I think we need to get on with this. We’re taking that Digimental. All of you are going to step back and let us, or pay the price for it. And that price is far, far more than any of you can manage.” He raised his hand and Daisuke saw his whip there a heartbeat before he cracked it downward. “Panjamon! Get them away from there!” 

“Gabumon!” Agumon leaped from where he’d been beside Taichi, trying to help him up. “You don’t want to do this!” 

“It doesn’t matter if he wants to or not. He’ll do whatever I tell him to do.” Kaiser-sama cracked his whip again and Panjamon moved forward, ice spilling outward from his every step, claws now with a faint blue glow about them as he prepared his next attack. “Unless you want to be next, you should back off. I _> do_ have another Spiral ready for someone else.” Kaiser smiled, eyes all on Agumon. “Are you volunteering? I think it would be rather magnificent to see MetalGreymon on my side as well.” 

Taichi moved in front of Agumon at a moment’s notice. “Don’t you even think about it!” 

“Oh, I have. Quite a lot. I considered taking him first, actually. But I allowed Daisuke the choice of who my first target would be and he chose Gabumon. It seems that moment when none of you cared anything about what he wanted struck deep in him.” Kaiser smiled, an expression Daisuke knew he wouldn’t have liked months earlier. Now it made him tingle all over, especially to know that someone else was the focus of his master’s wrath instead of him. “You know, I suspect that if you’d treated him like a genuine friend instead of a mildly useful appendage, then he might well be wielding that Digimental against me.” 

Kaiser-sama reached over to run his fingers through Daisuke's hair and Daisuke bent his head, gleefully leaning into the touch. Such pleasure and he’d earned it all by being good for his master. He would do _anything_ that made his master happy just for the chance of moments like this. 

Then, just to make it all better, Kaiser-sama whispered two words that Daisuke had almost forgotten that they’d agreed upon. 

“It’s time.” 

Oh, Of course. In an effort to clear his head, Daisuke took just a single step away from his master and raised his hand. He knew that the slaves Kaiser-sama brought along focused on him for this. Now he did what they’d agreed he would do. 

“Attack!” A word he’d also never thought that he’d say, directed towards all of those slaves, unleashing them on the Chosen. 

The goal here wasn’t to win the battle, not in and of itself. It was to keep the Chosen back long enough so they could take the Digimental of Friendship home with them. 

Daisuke wasn’t even certain if what his Master said was true or not; that he might have used that thing under other circumstances. He didn’t think it mattered right now. He watched, instead, as the first wave struck. 

Four Dokugumon leaped from behind the ridge, scuttling downward, their silk spewing ahead of them. It wrapped all the way around Takeru, Hikari, and Taichi before they could make a move, as well as Agumon. Miyako and Iori managed to squirm out of the way, Miyako leaping to Holsmon’s back and taking to the skies, where Pegasumon and Nefertimon already hovered. Iori scrambled for Digmon’s back as well, fear clearly written all over his face, since his partner wasn’t as good in the air as the others were. 

He didn’t have to worry very long, though. Two Triceramon cornered him within a heartbeat, both charging towards him. Digmon launched himself downward as fast as he could. Daisuke had already thought about that when they’d planned this fight. Getting to Digmon wouldn’t be easy, but one of the Triceramon leaped down after him, and the other one stayed up top, pounding on the ground as hard as he could, joined shortly by three Metal Tyrannomon. 

Going up into the air wouldn’t be an escape for the others, either. Two Saberdramon struck almost in perfect unison, one for Pegasumon and one for Nefertimon. The third attacking Digimon came from the ground, a blaze of flames that wrapped around their fists and struck Holsmon dead on: Flaremon. 

“Daisuke chose all of these to fight you. I had to chase a few of them down to recruit them, but they were worth the effort. You _might_ defeat them,” Kaiser-sama said, gesturing for Daisuke to resume his place at his side. “But even if you do, that won’t stop us from our goal. Nothing you can do can stop us.” 

He paused for a breath, nothing more than that, and met Daisuke’s eyes, pure satisfaction in his own, before the two of them turned to watch the battle unfold. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** This is so delicious. At least for me!


	40. Chapter 40

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 40-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,754|| **Total Words:** 68,778  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** The battle wraps up. If you could even call it a battle. Also, please stop asking me if Daisuke will "snap out of this".  I have seven chapters left; it would be  _horrible_ if Daisuke just slapped his forehead  & declared "omg, I've been deceived!"  And I've been talking about a sequel _anyway_. 

* * *

_I am definitely going to find a way to reward him._ Kaiser simply couldn’t have been prouder of Daisuke, or of himself. He’d done such good work. Granted, he needed to make certain the Chosen didn't say anything that might get Daisuke thinking in directions that he didn’t want, but that wasn’t difficult at all. Especially not when it made so much more sense to simply fight and savor their upcoming defeat. 

Those on the ground kept Digmon occupied. That Digimon needed some sort of clear area to come back up and his slaves kept him far too occupied for that. _He can’t go too far down, not with his partner with him._ Metal Tyrannomon and Triceramon would keep him in check for that. A few smaller Digimon had been scattered around to keep watch for any signs of Digmon coming up from the surface, so whenever Digmon made an attempt, the others would be there to stop him. 

Saberdramon kept Pegasumon and Nefertimon occupied, darting and weaving and making certain they didn’t get close enough to use that Sanctuary Bind attack of theirs. Flaremon’s fire strikes kept Holsmon at bay, with occasional strikes getting close enough to the other two Digimon to singe his feathers. 

To cap it all off, Panjamon stood guard over the Chosen, making certain that the Yagamis and Takaishi weren’t able to do anything but shiver and be terrified. He would’ve preferred all of them be trapped like that, but he was satisfied with what he had for the moment. 

Now he gestured to Daisuke and the two of them moved forward, past the Chosen, to where the Digimental of Friendship lay on the ground. It was somewhat longer than either of their hands, dark blue, with a lightning shaped spike on one end. Kaiser gave it a thoughtful look before his lip curled. 

“I won’t be able to pick it up,” he reminded Daisuke. “Give it a try.” He didn’t think Daisuke would be able to do it either; he’d worked a bit too hard to sever him from everyone else and Daisuke welcomed his teachings like water onto dry ground. But it would be amusing to see regardless. 

Daisuke bit his lip before he nodded and knelt down next to the Digimental. Kaiser could still hear the shouts of the Chosen behind him as their partners tried to evade his slaves and weren’t having a great deal of luck doing so. He ignored it – mostly – in favor of watching Daisuke on his knees. Even when it was something like this, such a sight was beyond magnificent. 

Daisuke dug his fingers underneath it and tugged as hard as he could. Kaiser wasn’t surprised to see it not move so much as a hair’s breadth. Just as he presumed. 

“DeviDramon,” he called to the slave who’d brought Ishida here. At once the giant demon Digimon came over, awaiting further orders as it settled there. Kaiser waved a hand towards the Digimental. “Scoop an area from here to there,” he ordered, sketching it out with his hands. “Make certain that Digimental comes up too.” 

As DeviDramon moved to obey and Daisuke moved back to stand at his side, Kaiser turned to examine the ongoing combat. The Yagamis and Takaishi remained guarded by Panjamon, while Yamato hadn’t moved more than the faintest bit, and that looked more like vague twitching than anything else. 

“Are you going to get rid of them, Master?” Daisuke murmured, his attention on Kaiser. Kaiser rested a hand on Daisuke’s neck. 

“What do you think? Are they worth the effort it would take?” He wanted Daisuke to get used to making decisions like this. His will would rule in the end, of course, but there were moments when Daisuke had good ideas. It wasn’t a bad idea to encourage him. 

Daisuke didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked over at the Chosen for several long minutes. One of the Saberdramon blasted at Pegasumon with a Night Roar, soot-black feathers crashing against his hide and leaving a dozen or more slice marks behind. The other Saberdramon launched a Black Saber attack – rings shooting from their claws to slam hard against Nefertimon. Neither of them looked as if they would be in the air much longer. 

Holsmon crashed against the ground even as Kaiser looked around, Inoue tumbling off and rolling into a tree. She wasn’t moving very much either. Kaiser observed with pleasure as Holsmon shimmered, sliding back down to Hawkmon. He also didn’t move beyond a twitch or two. 

From underground there came an explosion and when everyone could see again, Hida and his partner lay in a pile of dirt, also unmoving. Kaiser smiled. If Daisuke decided against them, then it would take no time at all to finish them off. 

Daisuke stared at them all before he turned back to Kaiser, his head bent respectfully. “I think we can just leave them, Master. They know that you can win now.” 

Kaiser pressed his fingers against the back of Daisuke's neck in a warm gesture of pleasure. “I like how you think, Daisuke.” Or how Kaiser made him think. “What about Panjamon?” 

Daisuke turned that way, a worried tilt to his head that faded when he caught sight of Ishida. Carefully he moved over there and bent down beside him, turning Ishida over so their eyes met. Ishida didn’t focus very well; Kaiser suspected he wasn’t all together, not with his partner underneath the Spiral’s control. 

But he was together enough to hear when Daisuke spoke. “Do you know what you did wrong?” He sounded genuinely curious. Kaiser paid careful attention at that. 

Ishida twitched. His eyes slowly started to focus on Daisuke. “W-what...” He sounded as if all that would really get him together was about twelve hours of sleep. 

“I said, do you know what you did wrong? Why I’m mad at you.” Daisuke didn’t sound too mad, but Kaiser could read the rage all over him. He hadn’t let go of his fury over that one day. 

Kaiser approved. One shouldn’t release the past without a very good reason. 

Slowly Ishida began to nod, though Kaiser had his suspicions on whether or not he believed it. “What I said – that day.” 

“What you and Hikari said,” Daisuke corrected. “Get to know Jun if you really want to know why I don’t like her. If you’ll even bother to tell her that I’m never going back.” 

He got up and looked at Kaiser. “Let’s leave them, Master. And leave Panjamon. If they care that much, they can get someone else to come help them. They’ve got a lot of _friends_.” 

Kaiser wished it were possible for him to be prouder of Daisuke. He’d left the old him, foolishly and mindlessly devoted to people who would never appreciate him, behind forever. 

“Let’ go, then.” Kaiser approved, heading back for AirDramon. V-mon and Wormmon hung by there as they had the whole time, Wormmon with his head down and V-mon staring as if he’d never seen anything like this in all of his life. 

“Daisuke,” V-mon murmured, taking a nervous step forward. “Don’t you like your friends anymore?” 

“They’re not my friends and I don’t like them. They’re why you were hurt before, V-mon. I’m not letting that happen ever again.” Daisuke bent down to scoop V-mon into his arms. “I know you’re not happy about this.” 

V-mon didn’t move away but Kaiser saw quite clearly how upset he was. One paw tugged at Daisuke’s shirt collar – the new outfit that Kaiser provided for him. “I don’t want you to stay with him,” V-mon murmured. “He’s changing you. You’re so different now.” 

“Because I don’t want you hurt? Because I don’t want to _be_ hurt?” Daisuke shook his head, getting up on AirDramon’s back and settling at Kaiser’s feet. 

V-mon just stared at him, one paw moving down to rest against Daisuke’s collarbone. “But he did hurt you. You told me that he did.” 

Kaiser wasn’t surprised that Daisuke hadn’t forgotten that. He’d certainly ensured that the memory of his punishments would be seared into him for all time: as well as the fact that Kaiser would only inflict them when Daisuke did something to deserve them, no other reason. 

He moved forward before Daisuke said a word in response. “I only hurt him because it _needed_ to happen. Daisuke used to be very disobedient. He’s learned much better since then. I haven’t had to punish him in quite a while. I don’t expect I’ll need to do it again.” 

Daisuke turned those large worshipful eyes toward him. “I’ll try my best to make sure that you don’t have to, Master.” 

“I believe you.” Kaiser brushed his fingers against the back of Daisuke’s neck, still pleased when Daisuke leaned into the touch, a deep and happy sigh rising from the depths of his soul. 

Once the four of them were settled on AirDramon’s head, Kaiser tapped with one foot. AirDramon rose, and Kaiser turned his gaze downward. 

“Panjamon,” he ordered, “stay and guard them.” A quick smirk flickered over his lips. “Put up the best fight you can to be sure they don’t remove your Spiral.” 

If they managed somehow to get his Tower down and bring in some of the other Chosen and their partners, then _maybe_ they would have a chance to snap the Spiral. Maybe. Without them being able to evolve past Adult, he expected that to be all but impossible. He would keep an eye on the situation. 

Another glance showed DeviDramon falling into position. Kaiser gave the order to return home. He cast one last glance behind, in time to see the Chosen starting to move a little more, even as his slaves gathered up and followed his entourage. It looked as if the Chosen were actually going to live. What a pity. 

But not all was lost. 

_I won. They might not accept it right now – they’re almost as stubborn as Daisuke used to be – but there’s really nothing else they can do about it._ He would wager that the Chosen would attempt to acquire the last two Digimentals and to locate his fortress as well, to retrieve the Digimental of Friendship and perhaps try to ‘unbrainwash’ Daisuke. But that he knew would fail. 

He would need a little more time to finish bringing the world itself under his control. But now he could see the end of this world, and he looked forward to what would happen after that. 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** The battle would have been more epic if Kaiser wasn’t os focused on getting the Digimental. Not to mention they planned on how to negate the Chosen specifically.


	41. Chapter 41

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 41-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,771|| **Total Words:** 70,549  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** I’ll be honest: this turn of events surprised me.

* * *

Daisuke settled down on his cushion and awaited the return of his master. Kaiser-sama told him to do so while he took care of getting the Digimental of Friendship set up somewhere. Wormmon and V-mon had been dismissed as well, told to keep themselves out of sight and out of trouble. 

_I wish V-mon would really **listen** to me._ Daisuke bit back a lonely sigh. He wanted V-mon to understand what he had, that this situation was the best that he could do. The Chosen weren’t his friends. His family didn’t care about him. What else could he do but stay with the only person who _did_ need him or want him? 

He fiddled with his leash a bit. Kaiser-sama didn’t take that off very much these days, but Daisuke didn’t mind. Strange as it might seem, it made him feel safe to have it hanging from his collar, even when Kaiser-sama didn’t hold the other end. 

_I wonder what he’s going to do now. Take the other two Digimentals?_ Daisuke gathered that Kaiser-sama had searched for them but he wasn’t sure if he’d found them or not. It would be a lot like this if he had – Kaiser-sama would take the area around the Digimentals and that would be enough to get them back to the fortress. 

He flexed his fingers, eyes dropping down past his leash to his hands. The hands that not all that long ago had touched the Digimental of Friendship. He hadn’t been able to lift it. That hadn’t surprised him – what friends did he really have, who weren’t V-mon? 

But his fingers tingled. His heart stammered a little. Deep in the parts of his mind he tried so hard not to think about anymore, he had to _wonder_. 

Could he have lifted it? If he’d never come to serve his master? IF he’d still believed with all of his heart that the Chosen _were_ his friends? 

Would that be the kind of friendship that would make it possible? Or would it want something else from him? Was he even the one meant for it? 

There were too many questions and Daisuke hadn’t ever been much one to think about things. Thinking didn’t get him anywhere – his master was absolutely right about that. That was why Kaiser-sama thought for him. 

Gloved fingers rested against the back of his neck. Daisuke lowered his head, his breath coming a little faster as Kaiser-sama walked around him to take his seat. The hand didn’t lift from his neck for a single moment, not until Kaiser picked up the leash and wrapped it around the arm of his seat. Then he set his hand back on Daisuke’s neck. 

Feeling that there sent shivers all through Daisuke. He wasn’t at all certain if he could even form a word at the moment. Being rewarded like that made him too happy to even speak. 

Kaiser-sama didn’t seem to want him to as he got the monitors going. Daisuke breathed out silently and leaned in as close as he could, wishing he could think of something to do for his master that would make him happy. He knew that obeying Kaiser-sama went a long way towards that but he wanted to do something more – something as powerful as having defended Kaiser-sama from an attack, regardless of the cost to himself. 

His back sort of still itched from that. Better than it had been – the itching eased every day, really – but it still made him want to think of something _else_. 

“You did very well,” Kaiser-sama said at last. Daisuke turned toward him at the first syllable. “I think the Chosen know exactly who owns you now – and who will win this war.” 

Daisuke nodded. “They’d be really stupid to think otherwise.” Almost as stupid as he’d been once. 

“They can be very stupid, though. But no matter what they try, it won’t do them any good.” Kaiser-sama’s fingers darted over the keys. “The new Spirals are working very well. I’ll have to recruit a few Perfect levels.” A very satisfied smile twitched over his lips. “Or I could take their partners and work on evolving _them_.” 

Daisuke didn’t approve of the shiver that ran through him. He knew exactly where his loyalties lay – Kaiser-sama made it very obvious to him. But the thought of seeing more like Panjamon sent icy spikes of fear through him. 

Kaiser-sama made a small noise of minor annoyance. Daisuke glanced up to see what bothered him, ready to get rid of it if at all possible. But what he saw wasn’t much of what he expected. 

Panjamon chased the Chosen, all of whom fled as fast as they could. The other Digimon that Kaiser-sama left weren’t in Daisuke’s view, or that of the monitor. Streaks of ice hung from the leaves and branches around them. Ishida held his left arm, tinged blue and apparently heavy if the way he moved was any indication, and Daisuke wondered if he actually saw tears in those eyes. Takeru tried his best to keep himself between his brother and Panjamon, and Taichi held Ishida’s right elbow, hurrying him along, Agumon keeping pace with him. 

He couldn’t see where the others were. Daisuke wondered if the rest of the army kept Miyako and Iori and Hikari away from them or if – something else – had happened to them. 

Before he’d given the matter a lot of thought, he asked, half-murmuring the question. Kaiser-sama’s fingers danced over the keys in response. 

“Here. Very good question, Daisuke.” Kaiser praised, awarding yet another caress to the back of Daisuke’s head. 

The screen resolved to show Miyako and Hawkmon scuttling along, keeping under cover, occasionally peeking out, clearly chased by _someone_. Hiding under a pile of rocks twice as tall as her head, she stared down at her D-Terminal, typing a very fast message. The screen shifted to show what it was – telling Iori that they were almost there – wherever there was – and that they would meet Mimi-san eventually. 

Kaiser-sama’s frown tightened the barest fraction. “I didn’t expect them to attempt to search out those two Digimentals today.” 

Daisuke stared at the images before he turned his attention back to his master. “Maybe that’s the only way they can get the Spiral off of Panjamon? Finding Purity and Faith?” 

“Maybe.” Kaiser tapped his fingers, more in minor irritation than anything else. Then he glanced towards Daisuke. “They genuinely are that foolish.” 

Daisuke dropped his head. “I think so.” He knew that if he’d been with them and the Digimental of Friendship wasn’t available, they would have set off to find the others, to find any way that they could to set their friend free. 

_They’re so focused on that. But I might as well not exist for them._

It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Mostly it wasn’t. But that tiny little part of him buried deep within – the part of him that he thought still resisted his master no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it – the part that mostly said and did nothing until something like this happened – it still twitched at the thought of the other Chosen. 

He tried not to think about everything he’d been told and how it conflicted. He trusted his master above all else – his master hadn’t _ever_ tried any of the games that the others had, claiming one thing and doing another. And yet the assurances that the Chosen _had_ looked for him even when he’d never seen any hint of it… 

“What are you thinking about?” Kaiser wanted to know. Daisuke blinked, looking back up at him. 

“It’s nothing much, Master. Just...” Daisuke hesitated for a few seconds, putting his thoughts together. “They're so busy trying to find a way to help Gabumon. They didn’t do that for me. And… And I know it doesn’t matter if you’ve lied to me or not, it really _doesn’t_.” 

Kaiser-sama said nothing at all, only watched Daisuke, the barest hint of a quirked eyebrow behind his concealing headgear. Daisuke swallowed, searching for the words, before he ducked his head lower. 

“It confuses me, Master. It really does and I don’t know what to do about it.” 

That also got no answer – at least not at first. What Kaiser-sama had wasn’t anything that Daisuke expected. 

“I can help you with that. I can make certain you’re never confused again – I can make it all perfectly clear for you, if that’s what you want.” 

Daisuke perked up at that. “You do? You can, I mean?” If he could somehow start all over again, serve his Master from the beginning, so that he never had to worry about any of the Chosen being confusing with words or deeds, then he would do it so very eagerly. 

“I hadn’t thought about this before. I could have used it on you when we got started, if I had, though. But it requires a great deal of care and I can’t say for certain what all of the side effects might be.” 

Kaiser-sama’s hand tucked underneath his chin and tilted Daisuke’s head up, while he also removed his glasses with his other hand. Deep violet eyes stared into Daisuke’s. 

“There are certain fungi – mushrooms – that grow in this world and have the effect of removing one’s memories. I believe with some effort, I can refine the effect so that you forget only what you and I want you to forget. But it requires you to have absolute trust in me, and it will take time for me to get it worked out properly. But if it works the way that I believe, then you won’t be confused. You won’t remember how they hurt you – or that you were ever one of them. You will only remember that you belong to me, that you will obey me no matter what.” 

Daisuke’s heart beat ever faster at that. He leaned his head into the Kaiser’s touch. “I think – that would be wonderful.” No more worries. No more fears. Just his master. 

Then something else crossed his mind. He hesitated only briefly before he mentioned it, knowing his Master would want to know. Perhaps he’d even have an answer. 

“Master – what about V-mon? I don’t want to forget him.” That was his partner, even if V-mon didn’t understand everything. 

Kaiser-sama worried at his lip for a second before he smiled. “I can take care of that. You don’t have to worry about it at all.” 

Daisuke’s first thought was to wonder just what Kaiser-sama meant. But he bent his head in his best submissive manner. “Please do it, Master.” 

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Did I ever mention how much I love the Mushrooms of Forgetfulness as a plot device, and wish they’d been used in a much better manner than a one episode failed plot device?


	42. Chapter 42

**Series:** Price of Triumph|| **Story:** Sidesteps  
 **Characters:** Ken, Daisuke|| **Ship:** N/A  
 **Chapter:** 42-47|| **Chapter Words:** 1,775|| **Total Words:** 72,324  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Diversity Writing: divergent/alternate timelineS: K6, under 2,000 wpc; Three-Sided Box, 47 chapters, 1650-1850 wpc; Epic Masterclass, #10, Wild Card; Epic Big Bang  
 **Notes:** Sorry this is so very late. But... well, I’ll explain at the post-chapter notes.

* * *

Kaiser wanted something to do. Something that would occupy himself while his computer continued to work out the details concerning how to treat the Mushrooms of Forgetfulness to achieve the desired result. Another program searched for the Mushrooms themselves; he’d heard of them, but no one seemed to know just where a batch could be found. 

Yet another program kept tabs on the Chosen as they continued to flee and search for the other two Digimentals. He did so love to multi-task. But now that all of his tasks had been set in motion and could continue without his direct overseeing, he wanted to do something else. 

He toyed with one or two other projects, none of which caught his attention very much. He needed to do very little right now. His thoughts kept tugging themselves back towards Daisuke, who knelt next to him, quiet and flawlessly obedient. 

_I have been thinking about a reward for him._ Kaiser mused over just what that could be. He wanted, above all else, to keep himself amused. He’d done that before with his flawless domination of Daisuke. Now… now what to do. 

Oh, yes. That would be quite amusing. His fingers flicked over the keyboard, digging up what he wanted. 

_I knew it was a good idea to keep these._ he might have to create more later, but not at the moment. He reached down and tapped Daisuke on the shoulder. 

His devoted slave turned towards him at once. “Master?” So perfectly ready to do whatever he was told. Kaiser offered a brief moment of a smile. 

“I want you to watch this. I realize you wouldn’t believe a word out of their mouths, but hearing it from _her_ mouth would be so much better, wouldn’t it?” 

He didn’t give Daisuke time to answer. Instead, he gestured toward the screens, all of which flicked black for about two heartbeats before images of Motomiya Jun and another girl, presumably Inoue Momoe, They sat on a couch in an apartment Kaiser hadn’t ever seen before, but he presumed also that was the Inoue apartment. He’d had to make some effort to get this video footage. 

And even more effort to properly edit it to reflect what he wanted it to say. Really, people should be far more considerate of his needs and provide what he wanted so he didn’t have to do it himself. 

“You’re kidding?” Inoue gasped, eyes wide and full of surprise. “Really?” 

Jun grinned, lounging backwards, arms spread over the back of the couch, and nodded. “Mom said that I could get it cleaned out this weekend.” 

“Wow.” Inoue shook her head. “You’re so lucky. He just ran off? No note, nothing?” 

“Yup. I didn’t believe it myself but Takaishi said that he wouldn’t be coming home.” She shifted briefly. “You know, I kind of thought I’d be more upset about it. I mean, he’s my brother. But I just ...” She shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s just like he’s moving out a few years sooner than we thought?” 

Momoe nodded, glancing over her shoulder to what probably would be other rooms in the apartment. “I know how you feel. It gets pretty stuffy around here sometimes too. I kinda wish that I could move out – or that someone else would.” 

Their conversation lapsed into inanity, mostly circling around those they found attractive and matters relating to school. After a few moments of that, Kaiser cut off the video and turned to Daisuke. 

Daisuke stared at the screens, lips pressed together, hands clenched tightly on the cushion. As the screens darkened, he dropped his head, breath coming in fast and hard. Kaiser thought he spied a few glimpses of tears and reached to wipe them away. 

“I thought you should know the truth. I wish that it could be different.” He’d lied to Daisuke before. He would do it again if he needed to. But he thought this would be one of the last times. Each lie accepted cut Daisuke off more and more from those he’d once called friends and family. He’d severed all of those to the Chosen already. Now the family needed disposing of. 

Daisuke drew in a deep breath. “Is there something else that we could do, Kaiser-sama? I don’t want to watch them anymore.” 

Strictly speaking, Kaiser knew he could make Daisuke watch anything that he wanted to. He did, after all, call all of the shots here and now. But he saw no reason to do so, at least not right now. 

While the video played, he’d decided on what else they could do now. He got up and unwound the leash from the arm of his chair, gesturing Daisuke to get up. Curiosity and excitement writ themselves large all over Daisuke’s face as he followed his master out of the control room and through the corridors. 

He said nothing at all about where they were going. He wanted this to be a surprise. 

A brief walk brought them to a room that he hadn’t bothered yet taking Daisuke to. Most of it was wide and empty, somewhat bowl shaped, with a great chair seated that gave a perfect view of the whole area. Kaiser settled himself into the chair and with a few flicks of his fingers, brought up a cushion fro Daisuke, who knelt on it, more fascinated by the moment. 

Again Kaiser’s fingers dashed over his keyboard. Down below, a barred gateway slowly rose, and from whatever lay beyond it, a tall suit of armor strode out, sword in one hand, an Evil Ring clamped firmly around one arm. 

“This is Knightmon,” Kaiser said. The Digimon made no motion once he reached the pre-determined spot on the field below. “He’s going to entertain us.” 

Daisuke watched, the faintest traces of distaste there now. But he said nothing; that wasn’t his place. Kaiser approved. A fresh way to test his training and ensure that Daisuke obeyed, regardless of his personal feelings on the subject. 

Three Tsunomon came out from the other side of the arena. Child level Digimon against a Perfect level – Kaiser knew very well who would win this battle. 

Part of Kaiser wondered exactly where Digimon went when they vanished like that. Did they cease to exist altogether? Did they somehow revive elsewhere? Given what he knew about the existence of ‘the Village of Beginnings’, he suspected they ended up recycled in some fashion. A few Digimon that he’d interrogated indicated that sometimes they remembered their previous lives and sometimes they didn’t. 

Perhaps once he killed enough of them, they would revive in their new lives fully aware that he was their master and they would cease to resist him. 

The more he thought on that, the more he liked it. He hadn’t really wanted to bother with killing Digimon before, since he never quite knew when one might be useful to him, and he far preferred having slaves to anything else. But if there were no other choice… 

Well, he’d see to it eventually. First conquer the entire world, then deal with whatever came after. 

He brought his attention back to the slaughter going on in front of him. Knightmon disposed of the three Tsunomon every bit as quickly as Kaiser presumed he would, then moved on to a couple of Gazimon, and then an Elecmon that at least put up something of a decent fight, dodging back and forth and hiding wherever it could find the slightest bit of cover. 

But soon enough all of them were disposed of and Kaiser decided that he wanted something more. Again his fingers danced over the keys and he smiled. 

“Have you ever seen a Gigadramon, Daisuke?” 

Daisuke shook his head. 

“They’re very rare. Perfect level, so quite powerful. They’re a dragon type Digimon.” Kaiser smiled as he sent the orders. “A dragon versus a knight. Which one do _you_ think will win?” 

He wasn’t sure how much of an answer he should expect, but Daisuke did look thoughtful for a few moments before he replied. 

“The knight?” 

Kaiser rested his hand on the back of Daisuke’s neck. “Why don’t we find out?” 

Really, he should do this more often. There was something deliciously appealing about seeing these Digimon, who might have been friends to one another under other circumstances, fight for his pleasure. 

Again his attention shifted down to where Daisuke knelt. It wasn’t that different from what he’d done there, except he didn’t use a Ring or Spiral on Daisuke. He hadn’t entirely given up the notion of developing some way to control humans with something similar, if it could be possible. He didn’t care about making the other Chosen fight against each other, so much as he didn’t want them to try to take Daisuke away from him. 

_Once I rearrange his memories he won’t be even mildly inclined to listen to them. He hardly is now._ Kaiser could not help the tiniest worry in the very back of his thoughts that someone would be able to change that – such as V-mon. Daisuke could at least persuade V-mon not to attack the Kaiser but Kaiser saw hints of rebellion in V-mon’s expression regardless. 

He’d promised that Daisuke wouldn’t forget V-mon. He would do all that he could to ensure that didn’t happen. 

He’d never made a single promise that V-mon wouldn’t forget _Daisuke_. Or that he’d even still be alive after Daisuke’s memories were rewritten. There were so many different ways that he could keep his promise, while getting rid of someone that he couldn’t completely trust. 

_What happens to a Chosen if their partner dies?_ He wasn’t aware of that having happened before. He didn’t want to ask Daisuke, mostly because he found himself reasonably certain that if Daisuke knew, he would have already told him. The other Chosen wouldn’t even be inclined to tell him. 

Of course, he could also destroy one of them and see what happened. That would give him all the information that he could ever hope for. He’d even had the perfect chance when he’d had Ishida and Gabumon here. 

Unfortunately he’d wanted other goals from them. It wasn’t impossible that he could take them back, of course. Capturing the Chosen was as simple as out-thinking them and keeping them away from their partners, all of whom were vulnerable to an Evil Ring or Spiral. He could do it. The question would always be, would it be worth the effort? 

Perhaps it might be, if only to satisfy his curiosity. He would decide later, once he finished this project with Daisuke. Until then, he could afford to spare them. 

* * *

**???**

**Notes:** Ok. Here we go. This is late because all of last week was a nightmare trying to get any writing done and when I had the time, I couldn’t decide what I wanted to write about. The plot’s almost done, after all. So, I reread the whole story to see if I had any loose plot threads I could tidy up. And what I found was a plothole in chapter 24, with Kaiser preparing to go do something and I never followed up on it. Ever since I found that, I’ve been wrangling with how to fix it, and while I could rewrite the scene itself, I have no ideas for _how_. So, as much as I am unhappy about this, the only way I can find to deal with the situation is to rewrite the story itself so that the scene is never an issue. 

Only five chapters from the end and this turns up. I’m very sad about it. But that just proves I need to reread what I write and that writing the entire story _and_ checking for plotholes before I post needs to be a thing. 

So: I’m not going to update this now. I’d effectively finished the plot anyway and anything more would be saved for the sequel. So, I will rewrite this in due time. When I finish version 2.0, I will remove this version and start posting the new one. Possibly in 2020 but I doubt sooner than that and it can be later. 

Until then, I will work on my already posted WIPs and my YGO Big Bang project, with occasional one-shots. To everyone who has enjoyed this: thank you.


End file.
